BREAKING 


AND 


RIDING 


WITH  MILITARY  COMMENTARIES 


JAMES  FILUS 


TUFTS   UNIVERSITY    LIBRARIES 


3  9090  014  548  438 


BREAKING    AND    RIDING 


Webster  Family  Library  of  Veterinary  Medicine 
Qy^.  Medicine  at 


Breaking  and  Riding 


WITH   MILITARY    COMMENTARIES 


JAMES     FI  LLIS 

ECUYER  EN  CHEl"  TO  THE  CENTRAL  CaVALRV  ScHOOL  AT  ST.  PETERSBURG 


Translated  by 

M.     H.     HAYES,     F.R.C.  V.S. 

Author  of  "Points  of  the  Horse,"  "Veterinary  Notes  for 
Horse  Owners,"  "Riding  and  Hunting,"  k.c. 


WITH    SEVENTY    ILLUSTRATIONS 


NEW   YORK 

CHARLES     SCRIBNER'S     SONS 
1902 

All  Riehts  Rese}-ved 


PRINTED     BY     KELLY'S     DIRECTORIES 
LONDON     AND     KINGSTON 


PREFACE. 


In  this  book,  I  do  not  presume  to  discuss  scientific  subjects. 
I  am  simply  a  horseman  who  has  been  among  horses  for 
sixty  years,  who  knows  them,  loves  them,  and  is  capable  of 
reasoning  about  them. 

The  fundamental  principle  of  the  studies  which  I  submit  to 
the  public  is  that  it  is  necessary  for  a  horse  to  be  correctly 
balanced  and  light  in  forward  movements  and  propulsion,  in 
order  that  the  rider  may  obtain  the  most  powerful  effects 
with  the  least  exertion. 

My  method  of  equitation  consists  in  distribution  of  weight 
by  the  height  of  the  neck  bent  at  the  poll  and  not  at  the 
withers  ;  propulsion  by  means  of  the  hocks  being  brought 
under  the  body ;  and  lightness  by  the  loosening  of  the 
lower  jaw.  When  we  know  this,  we  know  everything,  and 
we  know^  nothing.  We  know  everything,  because  these 
principles  are  of  universal  application  ;  and  we  know 
nothing,  because  they  have  to  be  applied  practically. 

Practice  cannot  be  taught  in  a  book  ;  but  I  will  try  to  set 
forth  principles.  Probably,  I  would  not  have  had  the  bold- 
ness to  do  this,  had  not  one  of  my  pupils  entreated  me  to 
write   this   book  ;    because   he  had  been  greatly  struck  with 


viii  PREFACE. 

the  aptness  of  the  explanation  which  I  gave  him  respecting 
the  details  of  the  breaking  lessons. 

In  judging  this  work,  I  trust  that  my  readers  will  give  it 
the  attention  it  deserves,  as  the  result  of  sixty  years'  serious 
study  and  hard  practical  work. 

I  crave  the  indulgence  of  the  public,  and  the  impartiality 
of  my  reviewers. 

JAMES    FILLIS. 


TRANSLATOR'S    PREFACE. 


Mr.  Fill  is,  at  whose  request  I  have  had  the  pleasure  of 
translating  his  Principes  de  Dressage  et  d^ Equitation,  is 
acknowledged  throughout  Europe  as  the  greatest  high  school 
rider  of  all  time.  In  fact,  he  has  had  the  honour  of  giving 
private  riding  exhibitions  before  The  Emperor  and  Empress 
of  Germany,  The  Tsar,  President  Carnot,  The  Queen  of 
Belgium,  The  King  and  Crown  Prince  of  Denmark,  and  the 
Emperor  of  Austria,  all  of  whom  have  accorded  him  special 
marks  of  their  appreciation  of  his  unrivalled  ability. 

Having  fortunately  had  many  opportunities  of  seeing  Mr. 
Fillis  ride  both  in  Germany  and  at  the  St.  Petersburg  Cavalry 
Riding  School,  where  he  is  Eaiyer  en  chef,  I  can  full}' 
endorse  the  correctness  of  the  good  opinion  held  about  him 
by  his  most  enthusiastic  admirers. 

A  school  rider  obtains  control  and  guidance  by  the  com- 
bined action  of  hands  and  legs  ;  but  an  ordinary  horseman 
depends  almost  entirely  on  the  reins  for  collecting  and 
directing  his  mount,  and  consequently  his  power  over  the 
animal  is  insufficient  for  military  and  polo  requirements. 
With  extremely  few  exceptions,  school  riders  abuse  their 
power,    and  sacrifice  freedom  of   movement  to  exaggerated 


X  TRANSLATOR'S    PREFACE. 

control,  with  the, result,  in  many  cases,  of  getting  their  animals 
behind  their  bits  and  straining  their  hocks.  Such  men  ride 
in  a  mechanical  manner,  which  is  inelegant  in  a  school 
or  circus,  and  is  entirely  unsuited  for  work  in  the  open.  Mr. 
Fillis,  on  the  contrary,  acting  on  his  motto  "  e7i  avant " 
(forward),  has  succeeded  in  showing  how  a  horse  can  be  made 
clever  in  his  movements,  without  in  any  way  diminishing 
his  usefulness  on  the  road  or  over  a  country.  I  therefore 
trust  that  all  English-speaking  horsemen,  and  especially 
cavalrymen  and  polo  players,  will  profit  by  the  valuable 
instruction  which  he  now  puts  before  them. 

M.   H.  HAYES. 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

Preface vii 

Translator's  Preface ix 


CHAPTER    I. 
HORSE    AND    MAN. 

The  Horse — Feeding — Intelligence  of  the  Horse — Influence  of  a  Alan's 
expression  of  face  on  a  Horse — Influence  of  the  Human  Voice  on  a 
Horse — Making  much  of  a  ttorse—  Punishment — Bitting — Martin- 
gale —  Saddle  —  Stirrups — Cutting  Whip — Spurs  —  Man's  Seat — 
Lady's  Seat    .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .   i  to  31 

CHAPTER    H. 
ORDINARY    RIDING. 

Lunging  a  Horse — Close  work,  advancing — Collecting  a  Horse  and 
direct  Flexion — Objects  to  be  obtained  by  direct  Flexion — Making 
a  Horse  quiet  to  mount — How  to  hold  the  Reins — Teaching  a 
Horse  by  the  Whip  to  obey  legs  and  spurs — Horse  mounted,  first 
Defences,  means  for  overcoming  them — The  Walk — To  halt  and 
stand  still — Changes  of  Direction — Lateral  flexions — Objects  of 
Lateral  flexions — Rotation  of  the  Croup  and  Shoulders — School 
Walk — The  rein  back — The  ramenei-,  collection,  rassembler,  and 
equestrian  tact — Side  steps  and  two  tracks — The  trot — The  canter 
— Voltes  and  demi  voltes  at  the  canter- — Changes  of  leg — The 
Hack 32  to   183 

CHAPTER    ni. 
HORSES    WITH    VICES. 

Nervous  Horses — Horses  which  throw  their  heads  about— Horses  which 

run  away  .         .         .         .         .         .         .         -         .         .       184  to   194 


JUMPING 


CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER    IV. 


195    to  205 


FLAT  RACING 


CHAPTER   V. 


206  to  209 


THE  HUNTER 


CHAPTER   VI. 


210   to    212 


THE  ARMY  HORSE 


CHAPTER   VII. 


213   to  235 


CHAPTER   VIII. 
HIGH-SCHOOL     RIDING. 

The  Spanish  walk — Reversed  pirouettes  on  three  legs— Reversed  and 
ordinary  pirouettes  with  the  feet  crossed — Reining  back  without 
reins — Rocking  the  forehand — Rocking  the  haunches — Spanish  trot 
— Shoulder-in  at  the  canter — Pirouettes  at  the  canter^ — Changes  of 
leg  at  each  stride — Changes  of  leg  without  gaining  ground — Piaffers 
and  passages — Differences  between  the  passage  and  Spanish  trot — 
Serpentine  at  the  Trot — Canter  on  three  legs — Passage  to  the  rear — 
See-saw  piaffer — Canter  without  gaining  ground  and  canter  to  the 
rear — New  school  movements — School  horse  for  ladies    .         .       236  to  331 


CHAPTER    IX. 

COMMENTARIES  ON  BAUCHER 


332  to  344 


CHAPTER   X. 

TESTS  OF  HORSEMANSHIP 


•      345  t^'  347 


CHAPTER   XL 

WITH  BELGIAN  OFFICERS 


348   to    356 


LIST     OF     ILLUSTRATIONS 


FIG. 
I. 

2. 

3- 

4- 

5- 
6. 

7- 
8. 

9- 

lO. 

II. 

12. 

13- 

14. 

15- 
16. 

17- 
18. 

19. 
20. 


Leading  a  horse  forward  ..... 

Jaw  contracted  ...... 

Jaw  and  bit  free       ...... 

Going  forward  when  mobihsing  the  lower  jaw,  so 

prevent  the  horse  getting  behind  his  bit 
Muzzle  on  a  line  with  upper  part  of  shoulder 
Correct  preparation  for  direct  flexion 
Preparation  for  Baucher's  direct  flexion 
Incorrect  and  frequently  employed  flexion 
Lowering  the  head — a  faulty  practice 

jj  53  jj  •         • 

Direct  flexion  when  going  forward     . 
Baucher's  flexion  when  mounted 
Correct  flexion  when  mounted  .... 
Exaggerated  example  of  Baucher's  incorrect  flexion 
Proper  way  to  mount 
Equal  tension  on  all  four  reins 
Action  of  the  curb    . 
Action  of  the  snaffle 
Action  of  the  off  curb  rein 
Action  of  the  near  curb  rein 


as  to 


PAGE 

41 
45 
47 

49 
51 
55 
55 
57 
57 
59 
59 
(>Z 
64 

65 
67 

71 
71 
71 
73 
73 


LIST   OF    ILLUSTRATIONS. 


21.  Separating  the  curb  and  snaffle  reins 
2  2.  Passing  the  right  hand  between  the  off  curb  rein  and  off 
snaffle  rein  ...... 

23.  Closing  the  hand  on  the  off  curb  and  off  snaffle  rein 

24.  Separating  the  reins 

25.  Doubler ..... 

26.  Volte 

27.  Demi-volte       .... 

28.  Diagonal  change  of  hand 

29.  Reversed  change  of  hand 

30.  Counter-change  of  hand 

31.  Preparation  for  lateral  flexion  ;  jaw  contracted 

32.  Lateral  flexion  ;  jaw  relaxed 
2iZ-  Correct  lateral  flexion 

34.  Incorrect  lateral  flexion 

35.  Correct  lateral  flexion  when  mounted 

36.  Baucher's  lateral  flexion  when  mounted 

37.  Incorrect  lateral  flexion 

38.  Lateral  effects  in  rotation  of  crop  and  shoulders 

39.  Direct  effects  ,,  ,,  „ 

40.  Diagonal   „  „ 

41.  On  "  two  tracks  "  at  the  school  walk,  from  right  to  left 

42.  „  „  „  „  left  to  right 

43.  First  time  of  the  canter ;  near  hind  support 

44.  Second  time  of  the  canter ;  left  diagonal  in  support 

45.  Third  time  of  the  canter ;  off  fore  in  support 

46.  Clearing  a  fence       ....... 

47.  Horse  raising  his  forehand  a  good  deal  when  jumping 


PAGE 

73 

75 
75 
75 
90 

91 
92 

93 
94 
95 
97 
99 

lOI 

103 

105 
106 
107 
108 
109 
no 

T4I 
143 

160 

161 

162 

199 

200 


LIST   OF    ILLUSTRATIONS. 


48.  Horse  raising  his  croup  when  clearing  a  fence 

49.  Horse  and  rider  being  drowned 

50.  Rider  making  his  horse  swim  according   to 

Filhs'  method 

51.  Spanish  trot 

52-  „         „                 ■         ' 

53.  Shoulder-in  at  the  canter 

54-  )»              >)              )j 

55"  '»             "             )' 

56.  Passage  ;  right  diagonal  in  the  air    . 

57-  „       ;  left 

58.  „        on  "  two  tracks  " 

59'  j»                )j         ))                  •         • 

60.  Piaffer     ...... 

61.  ,, 

62.  Teaching  the  piaffer  by  means  of  a  cuttin 

63.  Cantering  to  the  left  on  three  legs     , 

64.  „  „       right 

65.  Half-rear 

66.  See-saw  piaffer 

67.  „  „            .         . 

68.  Cantering  to  the  rear 

69.  „  „      right  on  three  legs  to  the  rear 


whip 


Mr. 


James 


PAGE 

201 

231 

232 

253 
255 
263 
265 

267 

277 
279 
283 
285 

289 

291 

299 
307 
309 
311 
315 
317 
323 
327 
329 


BREAKING    AND    RIDING. 


CHAPTER    I. 

HORSE     AND     MAN. 

The  Horse — Feeding — Intelligence  of  the  Horse — Influence  of  a  Man's  expres- 
sion of  face  on  a  Horse — Influence  of  the  Human  Voice  on  a  Horse — 
Making  much  of  a  Horse — Punishment — Bitting — Martingale — Saddle — 
Stirrups — Cutting  Whip — Spurs — Man's  Seat — Lady's  Seat. 

THE    HORSE. 

Although  I  break  in  only  thorough-breds  for  my  own  use ; 
I  in  no  way  assume  that  three-quarter  or  half-breds  cannot  be 
good  riding  horses.  I  do  not  care  for  very  big  animals,  and 
prefer  those  about  15.2,  or,  say  from  15.1  to  15.3.  When 
examining  a  horse,  I  at  first  take  a  general  view  of  him  at 
a  distance  of  a  few  yards.  If  the  first  impression  is  pleasing, 
I  go  over  his  various  points  in  detail,  with  a  fairly  liberal  spirit, 
as  regards  trifling  faults  ;  but  if  it  is  not  favourable,  I  become  all 
the  more  critical.  In  any  case,  it  is  hopeless  to  expect  perfec- 
tion. In  this  first  general  examination,  we  should  be  particularly 
careful  to  see  how  he  moves  at  the  walk,  trot  and  canter,  both 
when  led  and  ridden. 

Some  horses  appear  badly  shaped  when  standing  still ;  but 
become  good-looking,  light  and  active  as  soon  as  they  begin 
to  move.  Others,  which  seem  almost  perfect  in  repose,  are 
heavy  and  awkward  in  their  paces.  I  prefer  the  former  to  the 
latter,  because  they  can  utilise  what  they  have  got. 

I 


2  HORSE    AND    MAN. 

I  like  a  handsome  head,  long  and  light  neck,  prominent 
withers,  short  and  strong  back  and  loins,  long  croup,  long  and 
oblique  shoulders,  close  coupling  between  the  point  of  the  hip 
and  the  last  rib,  hocks  well  let  down,  short  canon  bones,  long 
fore  arms,  and  the  pasterns  fairly  long.  These  desirable 
points  are  rarely  found  in  one  animal.  A  horse  should  be 
close  to  the  ground,  which  he  will  be  when  the  distance  from 
the  brisket  to  the  ground  will  be  equal  to  that  from  the 
withers  to  the  brisket.  A  horse  which  is  high  off  the  ground 
is  generally  clumsy  in  his  movements,  and  liable  to  stumble. 

I  would  have  nothing  to  do  with  a  horse  whose  fetlock  and 
pastern  joints  are  stiff,  because  he  would  be  deficient  in  elas- 
ticity, would  drag  his  feet,  and  would  consequently  be 
liable  to  trip. 

I  take  particular  care  to  see  that  the  heels  are  not  con- 
tracted. In  order  to  prevent  my  horses  acquiring  this  defect, 
I  do  not  have  them  shod  when  they  work  on  soft  ground,  in 
which  case  the  heels  remain  well  apart,  on  account  of  the 
frog  being  subjected  to  pressure.  I  always  have  my  horses 
shod  with  tips,  the  ends  of  which  are  imbedded  into  the  wall 
at  the  heels ;  and  I  thus  prevent  them  having  their  heels  con- 
tracted and  their  feet  becoming  diseased. 

Horses  are  like  men  ;  having  obtained  physical  perfection 
in  them,  we  further  require  good  temper  and  courage. 

The  highest  mental  qualification  of  a  horse  is  to  be  a  free- 
goer  ;  because  such  an  animal,  contrary  to  what  is  often 
thought,  is  neither  irritable  nor  sulky.  I  will  again  refer  to 
this  point.  At  present  I  confine  myself  to  stating  that  such 
a  horse  is  valuable,  even  if  his  make  and  shape  are  only 
moderate.  If  an  animal  has  not  the  essential  requirement  of 
being  always  ready  to  go  forward,  he  is  useless,  although  he 
may  be  a  perfect  picture  to  look  at. 

I  like  to  begin  breaking  a  horse  when  he  is  two  off  and  not 
more  than  three  years  old,  and  to  buy  if  possible  in  or  near 


THE    HORSE.  3 

Septembar,  at  which  time  the  animal  would  be  about  two  and 
a-half  years  old.  At  that  age  he  would  have  done  little  or 
no  work,  and  would  consequently  be  sound.  Besides,  it  is 
easy  to  get  such  horses,  because  there  are  a  large  number  of 
young  thorough-breds  which  are  capable  of  becoming  mar- 
vellously good  horses  for  riding-school  purposes  and  other 
work,  although  they  might  be  of  no  use  on  a  race-course. 
Also,  for  many  other  reasons,  we  can  get  a  large  choice  of 
thorough-breds  at  that  age. 

I  never  buy  mares,  because  they  often  become  peevish, 
especially  when  touched  with  the  spurs.  I  always  have  my 
horses  "  added  to  the  list,"  because  thorough-bred  entires  are 
greatly  inclined  to  rush  at  every  animal  they  meet,  which  is  a 
habit  that  is  not  pleasant  for  their  riders,  and  they  are  always 
ready  to  get  on  their  hind  legs.  Besides,  many  of  the  horses 
which  I  break  are  required  for  ladies,  who  should  never  be 
allowed  to  ride  a  rearer.  These  objections  do  not  generally 
apply  to  Arab  and  Trakene  (German)  entires,  which  live  with 
mares  and  pay  little  or  no  attention  to  them.  In  course  of 
time  the  thorough-bred  entire  gets  heavy  in  front  and  be- 
comes poor  behind.  A  riding  horse  should,  on  the  contrary, 
have  his  hind  quarters  well  developed  and  his  forehand  light. 
Thorough-bred  stallions  which  are  used  for  stud  purposes 
preserve  their  proper  proportions,  although  they  get  very  fat. 
Everyone  knows  that  a  gelding  is  much  more  quiet  than  an 
entire. 

After  the  hot  weather,  I  send  my  young  horses  to  be  cas- 
trated at  the  Veterinary  College  of  Alfort,  where  they  remain 
a  fortnight,  and  afterwards  I  turn  them  out  to  grass  for  three 
months  and  a-half  at  a  place  where  they  are  properly  looked 
after.  I  do  not  put  even  a  saddle  on  their  backs  during 
these  four  months,  after  which  I  begin  their  education  in  the 
quietest  manner  possible. 

When  I  have  taught  them  to  go  collectedly  when  walking, 

I* 


4  HORSE   AND   MAN. 

trotting,  cantering,  turning,  reining  back,  and  moving  from 
one  side  to  the  other  for  a  few  steps,  I  begin  to  take  them  out- 
side, and  they  will  then  need  only  a  few  days  to  make* them 
pleasant  to  ride  in  the  open.  In  this  way,  I  first  of  all  make 
them  into  hacks.  During  the  following  two  or  three  months 
I  repeat,  in  the  open  air,  the  work  which  my  horses  have 
learned  in  the  school,  so  as  to  make  them  light  and  supple  in 
their  natural  paces.  Thus,  from  September  to  the  end  of 
December,  nothing  but  care  and  repose ;  from  January  to 
March,  breaking  in  the  school  ;  from  April  to  June,  confirma- 
tion, outside,  of  the  work  learned  during  the  preceding 
months.  In  Jul}^  I  send  my  horses  for  their  holiday  to 
grass,  leave  them  loose  in  the  fields,  and  give  them  oats. 

In  August  I  resume  work  in  the  open,  and  as  the  animals 
have  rested  and  got  strong,  I  begin  at  the  same  time  high 
school  riding.  My  horses  being  handy,  light  and  well 
balanced,  their  progress  is  rapid,  and  I  generally  finish  their 
school  training  towards  the  end  of  December,  with  a  limit  of 
two  or  three  months  one  way  or  the  other,  according  to  the 
difficulties  which  I  have  to  overcome  and  the  extent  of  the 
instruction.  I  then  give  them  another  holiday  of  a  fortnight 
and  immediately  after  that  I  take  them  out  hunting  if  pos- 
sible. I  do  not  consider  their  education  complete  until  I 
have  tested  them  in  all  these  wa)-s. 

In  this  manner  I  obtain  an  excellent  hack  for  spring  and 
summer,  a  hard}'  hunter  for  autumn,  and  a  pleasant  school 
horse  for  winter. 

FEEDING. 

I  feed  my  horses  liberally,  especially  as  regards  oats,  of 
which  I  giv^e  them  lo  quarterns  a  day.  This  makes  them 
lively,  but  not  more  so  than  I  wish.  I  give  them  only  a  small 
quantity  of  oats  in  the  morning,  so  as  not  to  overload  their 
stomachs ;  but  I  allow  them  all  they  can  eat  in  the  evening, 


INTELLIGENCE   OF   THE    HORSE.  5 

which  is  their  time  of  rest.  Not  being  disturbed,  they  eat 
slowly  and  thoroughly  chew  their  food,  which  on  that  account 
becomes  properly  digested. 

I  give  one-and-a-half  quarterns  in  the  morning,  three-and-a- 
half  at  noon,  and  five  in  the  evening.  The  morning  oats  is 
given  at  least  two  hours  before  work,  so  that  the  stomach  of 
the  animal  may  be  empty  at  that  time.  For  the  same  object 
I  rack  him  up,  so  that  he  may  not  eat  his  bedding.  Half  an 
hour  after  work  I  give  each  horse  2  or  3  lbs.  of  hay  ;  at  noon 
three-quarters  of  a  bucket  of  water  ;  and  after  that,  oats.  At 
four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  each  horse  gets  a  bundle  of  straw 
as  bedding  ;  at  five  o'clock.  2  or  3  lbs.  of  hay  ;  and  finally,  at 
seven  o'clock  in  the  evening,  the  same  quantity  of  water  as  at 
noon,  and  the  evening  ration  of  oats,  instead  of  which  I  give, 
twice  a  week,  a  bran  mash. 

INTELLIGENCE   OF   THE   HORSE. 

The  great  difficulty  in  breaking  is  to  make  the  horse  under- 
stand what  we  want  him  to  do,  which  is  no  easy  matter, 
because  a  horse,  contrary  to  what  many  think,  has  only  a  small 
supply  of  intelligence.  His  only  well-developed  mental  quality 
is  his  memory,  which  is  particularly  acute,  and  should  there- 
fore be  specially  utilised. 

A  horse  is  incapable  of  affection  for  man  :  he  possesses  only 
habits,  which  he  often  acquires  far  too  easily,  and  frequently 
sticks  to  them  with  too  much  persistence,  a  fact  we  should 
always  bear  in  mind.  On  this  subject  I  have  made  hundreds 
of  experiments.  For  instance,  one  of  my  friends  had  a  horse 
which  went  to  him  when  he  called  him,  neighed  when  he 
entered  the  stable,  etc.  He  averred  that  this  animal  was  par- 
ticularly attached  to  him,  and  that  the  horse  would  pine  away 
if  he  left  him.  Having  learned  all  about  the  habits  of  the 
horse  from  the  owner,  I  begged  him  to  lend  me  the  animal, 
which  I  took  to  my  stable,  where  I  treated  him  exactly  as  he 


6  HORSE   AND   MAN. 

had  been  treated  in  his  own  stable.  On  the  following  day  I 
worked  him  during  periods  of  time  similar  to  those  his  owner 
had  adojDted  ;  I  gave  him  carrots  according  to  established 
custom  ;  I  imitated  the  voice  of  his  master  ;  and  brought  him 
his  food  at  the  accustomed  times.  On  the  following  day  I 
re-assumed  my  natural  tone  of  voice,  and  in  forty-eight  hours 
the  animal  made  similar  manifestations  of  affection  to  me  as 
he  had  done  to  his  master,  whose  loss  he  did  not  appear  to 
feel  in  the  slightest  degree. 

After  the  morning  lesson  I  give  a  large  quantity  of  carrots 
to  my  horses,  who  neigh  the  moment  I  speak  to  them  on 
entering  the  stable.  If  a  stranger  accompanies  me  on  these 
occasions,  he  will  always  tell  me  that  the  animals  recognise  me 
and  love  me,  which  is  a  mistake  ;  because  if  another  person 
takes  my  place  in  distributing  the  carrots  at  the  usual  hour,  the 
horses  will  not  notice  my  absence.  This  can  easily  be  proved 
by  the  fact  that  if  I  go  into  the  stable  a  few  minutes  after  they 
have  finished  eating,  the}'  will  not  take  the  slightest  notice  of 
my  arrival.  I  could  give  a  hundred  other  instances  of  the  in- 
difference of  horses  towards  those  who  tend  them  or  ride  them. 
This  is  not  a  matter  of  regret  ;  for  if  horses  were  differently 
constituted,  the)^  ^\•ould  be  willing  to  obey  only  one  master. 

INFLUENCE    OF    A    MAN'S    EXFRESSION    OF    FACE 
ON    A    HORSE. 

Despite  many  arguments  to  the  contrar)-,  I  am  thoroughly 
convinced  that  the  human  expression  of  face  has  no  influence 
on  a  horse,  who  pays  no  attention  to  one's  look,  whether  it  is 
hard,  angry,  soft  or  caressing.  I  have  proved  this  fact  by 
many  experiments  on  young  and  old  animals  ;  and  I  can 
certify  that  if  a  person  who  is  looking  at  a  horse  works  only 
the  muscles  of  his  face,  without  moving  his  body  or  limbs,  the 
animal  will  not  take  the  slightest  notice  of  the  changes  of 
expression. 


INFLUENCE   OF   THE    HUMAN   VOICE.  7 

I  have  scores  of  times  tried  the  eftect  of  giving  a  horse  an 
angry  look  and  of  smiling  on  him  without  any  result 
whatsoever.  If  you  make  the  most  horrible  grimaces  at  }"our 
horses  or  stick  your  tongue  out  at  them,  }-ou  will  find  that 
they  will  take  absolutely  no  notice  of  such  a  proceeding,  but 
they  will  be  quick  to  perceive  any  movement  of  the  body,  and 
especially  of  the  hand. 

INFLUENCE   OF   THE    PIUMAN    VOICE    ON   A   HORSE. 

The  human  voice  has  a  great  influence  on  a  horse,  but  of 
course  it  is  only  the  tone  which  he  remembers.  The  sweetest 
words,  repeated  in  a  short,  high  tone,  will  frighten  him,  and  the 
most  horrible  threats,  uttered  in  a  soft  voice,  will  soothe  him.  The 
voice  is  the  most  useful  help  for  breaking  a  horse  "  at  liberty," 
in  which  case  he  is  turned  loose  in  a  riding  school,  circus,  or 
other  suitable  enclosure.  Thus,  to  teach  a  horse  at  liberty  to 
move  forward  at  a  walk,  trot  or  canter,  one  says :  "  walk,"  in  a 
comparatively  weak  voice  ;  "  trot,"  in  a  higher  voice  ;  and 
"  canter  !  "  in  a  tone  of  command.  You  may  say  "  canter  " 
in  a  soft  voice,  and  the  horse  will  remain  at  the  walk  ;  but  if 
you  say  "  walk  ! "  in  a  high  tone,  the  animal  will  immediately 
strike  off  into  the  canter. 

The  voice  is  also  of  great  use  when  breaking  a  horse  which 
one  is  riding.  For  instance,  if  my  mount  kicks,  rears,  or  plays  up 
in  any  other  way,  I  correct  him  with  whip  or  spurs,  and  speak  to 
him,  at  the  same  time,  in  a  tone  of  reproof,  and  he  thus  soon 
becomes  attentive  to  my  voice.  If  he  makes  a  mistake,  or 
tries  on  a  "  defence,"  it  will  generally  be  enough  for  me  to 
raise  my  voice,  which,  by  reminding  him  of  the  previous 
punishment,  will  make  him  quiet.  B}-  acting  in  this  manner, 
I  save  him  from  fresh  punishment. 

The  voice  can  be  used  not  only  for  correction,  but  also 
to  encourage  and  quieten  a  horse,  in  which  case  a  pat 
on  the  neck  of  the  horse  will  help  to  aid   its  good  effect. 


8  HORSE   AND    MAN. 

Its  action  is  all  the  more  useful  because  it  can  be  employed 
in  all  cases  with  a  varied  choice  of  tone.  A  rider  cannot, 
on  the  contrary,  always  bring  his  hands  and  legs  into 
play. 

Let  us  suppose  that  a  hot-headed,  impetuous  horse  which 
one  is  riding,  gets  startled  and  becomes  maddened  in  a 
place  where  there  are  several  carriages,  and  that  one  cannot 
get  him  out  and  steady  him  by  means  of  the  reins  and  legs. 
The  voice,  however,  will  calm  him  down,  if  he  has  been 
trained  to  obey  it. 

The  effect  of  the  voice  has  often  been  a  great  help  to  me, 
and  has  brought  me  out  of  many  a  difficulty. 

I  like  impetuous  horses,  and  I  rarely  use  any  others.  I 
make  them  sufficiently  quiet  to  carry  ladies ;  but  I  never 
employ  them  for  this  purpose  until  I  am  certain  that  my  voice 
will  soothe  them  when  they  are  excited.  I  have  avoided 
accidents  by  always  acting  in  this  manner. 

MAKING   MUCPI    OF   A    HORSE. 

The  good  effect  of  "  making  much  "  of  a  horse  should 
not  be  neglected,  as  we  shall  see  further  on.  The 
education  of  the  horse  is  based  on  the  principles  of  reward 
and  punishment.  Making  much  of  a  horse  gives  him  con- 
fidence, by  placing  the  rider  in  direct  contact  with  him 
otherwise  than  by  impulsion. 

All  horses,  even  the  most  impatient,  accept  a  pat  on  the 
neck,  which  is  therefore  the  place  the  rider  should  caress. 
The  pats  on  the  neck  should  be  given  forcibly  enough  to 
attract  the  attention  of  the  horse,  but  without  hurting  the 
animal.  We  should  avoid  touching  him  too  lightly,  which 
might  only  have  the  effect  of  tickling  him. 

A  pat  on  the  neck  should  be  given  at  an  appropriate  time, 
that  is  to  say,  immediately  after  an  act  of  obedience  on  the 
part  of  the  horse,  in  the  same  manner  as  punishment   should 


PUNISHMENT.  9 

promptly  follow  disobedience.  The  moment  he  yields,  give 
him  his  proper  reward  by  patting  him  on  the  neck  and 
slackening  the  reins,  which  will  greatly  facilitate  the  process 
of  breaking.  To  obtain  its  full  effect,  a  pat  on  the  neck 
should  be  accompanied  by  the  voice.  A  combination  of 
these  two  soothing  means  will  produce  the  best  possible 
effect  and,  as  a  rule,  will  accomplish  its  object. 

PUNISHMENT. 

The  education  of  a  horse,  as  I  have  already  said,  depends 
entirely  on  the  manner  in  which  the  rider  applies  the 
principles  of  reward  and  punishment  ;  the  appropriate  appli- 
cation of  the  latter  being  even  more  essential  to  success 
than  that  of  the  former.  Above  all  things,  the  rider  of  a 
difficult  horse  should  never  lose  his  temper.  When  a  horse 
deserves  punishment,  he  should  get  it  with  an  amount  of 
severity  which  might  be  regarded  as  the  outcome  of  anger, 
but  which  should  be  proportionate  to  the  offence.  In  fact, 
we  should  treat  horses  as  we  do  children.  We  all  know  that 
nothing  is  worse  than  to  punish  a  child  when  we  are  in  a 
rage.  A  horse  can  in  no  case  understand  the  feeling  which 
prompts  a  man  to  punish  him,  and  he  will  remember  only  the 
pain  he  has  suffered  and  the  occasion  on  which  it  was 
inflicted.  His  intelligence  enables  him  to  connect  his  action 
with  the  punishment  it  provoked  ;  but  it  does  not  allow  him 
to  go  further  than  that.  On  this  account,  if  punishment  is 
not  administered  at  the  precise  moment  the  fault  is  com- 
mitted, it  will  lose  all  its  good  effect,  and  will  be  an  element 
of  confusion  in  the  memory  of  the  animal.  For  instance, 
if  a  horse  which  kicks  receives  punishment  when  his  hind 
legs  are  off  the  ground,  he  will  remember  that  he  got  hurt 
for  kicking.  If,  on  the  contrary,  the  punishment  is  received 
after  his  hind  legs  have  come  down,  he  will  be  unable  to 
connect  in  his  mind  the  ideas  of  these  two  acts  ;  in  fact,  the 


lo  HORSE    AND    MAN. 

probability  is  that  he  will  tr}',  by  a  fresh  kick,  to  get  rid  of 
the  person  who  is  hitting  him. 

I  have  said  that  every  deliberate  act  of  disobedience  com- 
mitted by  a  horse  should  be  punished  ;  but  I  do  not  hesitate 
to  add  that  it  is  better  not  to  punish  him  than  to  do  it  too 
late.  Both  are  bad,  but  it  is  necessary  to  choose  the  lesser  of 
the  two  evils. 

It  is  also  important  to  find  out  what  is  the  motive  which 
has  caused  a  horse  either  to  wilfully  disobey  or  to  act  on  the 
defensive ;  in  other  words,  to  find  out  whether  he  is 
vicious  or  in  pain.  Thus,  if  a  horse  kicks  because  his  loins  or 
hocks  are  painful,  we  would  not  be  justified  in  punishing 
him,  and  should  do  everything  to  relieve  his  suffering. 
But  if  the  kicking  is  a  vice,  we  ought  to  severely  correct 
him  the  moment  it  is  practised,  and,  to  prevent  it,  we  should 
forcibly  raise  his  head  and  neck  in  order  to  put  the  weight  on 
his  hind  quarters. 

BITTING. 

I  have  nothing  particular  to  say  about  the  snafifie,  except 
that  it  ought  to  be  rather  thick,  so  as  to  reduce  its  severity, 
and  that  it  should  be  placed  at  about  an  equal  distance  from 
the  bit  and  the  corners  of  the  mouth. 

The  form  of  a  curb  bit  and  the  position  it  is  placed  in  the 
mouth  are  points  of  great  importance.  It  is  impossible  to 
decide  at  first  glance  what  kind  of  curb  will  suit  a  young 
horse  best,  and  what  position  it  should  occupy  in  his  mouth. 
Baucher  says  that  he  would  use  the  same  kind  of  bit  for  all 
kinds  of  horses,  which  statement  is  the  consequence  of  his  pet 
theory  that  all  horses  have  the  same  kind  of  mouth.  I  will 
discuss  this  theory  further  on,  and  I  will  here  content  myself 
with  saying  that  even  the  most  inexperienced  horseman  will 
state  that  horses  go  better  in  one  bit  than  in  another,  and 
that  certain  animals  will  go  kindly  in  a  snaffle,  but  will  resent 


BITTING.  II 

the  use  of  a  rather  severe  curb.  This  is  a  generally  acceisted 
fact  \\hich  has  been  amply  pro\ed.  W'c  can  find  the  best 
curb  for  a  horse  only  by  trial.  But  there  are  ahva)"s  certain 
general  principles  to  help  us  in  making  our  experiments, 
which  we  may  sum  up  as  follows  : 

The  curb  which  is  used  at  the  beginning  of  the  breaking 
should  have  a  thick  mouth-piece,  low  port,  and  short  cheek- 
pieces,  so  that  it  may  be  eas}'  to  the  mouth.  Its  width 
should  be  proportionate  to  that  of  the  mouth  of  the  horse.  If 
it  is  too  narrow,  the  lips  will  be  compressed  by  the  cheek- 
pieces.  If  it  is  too  wide,  the  horse,  either  in  pla}'  or  to  relieve 
the  bars  of  his  mouth  from  pressure,  will  bring  it  too  much 
over  on  one  side  of  his  mouth,  so  that  a  part  of  the  port  will 
rest  on  one  of  the  bars,  and  consequently  the  mouth-piece 
will  exert  an  uneven  pressiu'e,  which  \\ill  almost  alwa}'s  cause 
the  horse  to  carry  his  head  sideways. 

In  order  that  the  curb  may  fit  properly,  it  should  be  wide 
enough  for  the  cheeks  to  keep  clear  of  the  lips  on  each  side. 
The  mouth-piece  should  have  an  even  feeling  on  both  sides  of 
the  mouth,  and  should  be  mid-way  between  the  tushes  and 
the  corners  of  the  lips,  and  consequently  it  will  be  lower  in 
the  mouth  than  the  snaffle  in  the  case  of  a  double  bridle. 
Later  on  I  shall  point  out  some  exceptions  to  this  rule.  The 
lower  ends  of  the  cheek-pieces,  yielding  to  the  pull  of  the 
reins,  cause  the  upper  ends  to  revolve  forward,  and  thus  to 
produce  pressure  on  the  bars  of  the  mouth.  The  curb-chain, 
which  prevents  the  upper  ends  of  the  cheeks  from  revolving 
forward,  increases  the  pressure  on  the  bars  proportionately 
to  its  shortness.  Hence,  the  length  of  the  curb-chain  should 
be  proportionate  to  the  lightness  of  the  horse's  mouth,  which 
we  are  unable  to  estimate  in  the  case  of  a  perfectl)'  "green  " 
horse.  With  such  an  animal,  we  should  at  first  leave  the 
curb-chain  very  loose,  as  there  will  alwa}'s  be  time  to  take  it 
up.     It  would  not,  on  the  contrar}',  be  right  to  say  that  there 


12  HORSE   AND    MAN. 

is  always  time  to  slacken  a  tight  curb-chain,  which  causes 
pain  that  will  continue  to  be  felt  by  the  horse  after  the  curb- 
chain  has  been  let  out.  If,  however,  We  begin  with  a  loose 
curb-chain,  and  gradually  shorten  it  to  the  desired  extent,  we 
shall  avoid  hurting  the  bars  of  the  mouth  and  irritating  the 
horse  to  resistance,  and  we  gain  time.  But  if,  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  work,  we  hurt  or  even  irritate  the  bars  by  undue 
pressure,  we  shall  fail  to  obtain  any  of  the  required  indica- 
tions. By  artificially  increasing  the  sensitiveness  of  the  bars, 
we  fail  to  estimate  it  correctly,  and  work  on  a  wrong  method 
from  the  beginning.  The  bruising  or  even  the  mere  irritation 
of  the  bars  does  not  disappear  as  soon  as  the  work  is  finished 
and  the  bridle  taken  off,  but  continues  for  a  more  or  less  long 
period.  Consequently,  when  the  next  lesson  is  given,  the 
bars  are  congested  and  painful.  The  rider  will  then  be  apt 
to  form  an  opinion  of  the  effects  he  produces  on  the  mouth  of 
the  horse  without  taking  into  consideration  that  it  is  in  an 
abnormal  condition,  and  he  will  increase  the  evil  which  has 
been  done,  and  he  will  become  more  and  more  unable  to 
correctly  estimate  what  is  the  natural  condition  of  the  mouth. 
In  a  word,  he  will  do  the  very  things  he  ought  not  to  do. 
From  the  foregoing  observations  we  can  see  that,  at  the 
beginning  of  the  breaking,  the  curb-chain  should  be  loose. 
In  fact,  it  is  better  to  take  it  off. 

The  knowledge  of  the  mouth  of  a  "green"  horse  is  an 
important  and  delicate  matter.  In  order"  to  gently  feel  the 
mouth  without  spoiling  it,  we  must  begin  with  great  lightness 
of  hand,  and  gradually  increase  the  pressure  up  to  the  point 
of  making  the  horse  feel  it,  which  sensitiveness  varies  in 
degree  according  to  the  animal.  If  a  horse  yields  to  the  light 
pressure  of  a  curb  which  has  no  curb-chain,  of  what  use  is  the 
curb-chain,  and  what  is  the  good  of  seeking  for  a  more  power- 
ful means  of  restraint  ? 

I  have  thoroughly  broken  horses,  not  only  for  the  manege. 


MARTINGALE.  13 

but  also  for  outdoor  work,  without  using  a  curb-chain,  which 
may  remain  hooked  up  on  one  of  the  curb-hooks,  so  that  it 
ma)^  be  instantly  used  in  case  of  need.  As  a  rule,  it 
should  not  be  employed  unless  the  rider  finds  that  he  needs 
its  help.  When  he  uses  it,  he  should  never  put  more  tension 
on  it  than  is  actualh'  required  ;  the  proper  maximum  being 
when  the  curb-chain  is  tightened  up,  so  that  it  makes  an 
angle  of  45^  with  the  lower  jaw. 

As  the  tension  of  the  curb-chain  should  be  proportionate 
of  the  sensitiveness  of  the  bars,  so  should  the  pressure  caused 
by  the  pull  of  the  reins  be  proportionate  to  the  resistance. 
If  this  resistance  is  slight,  the  effort  to  overcome  it  should  be 
light,  and  the  point  of  its  application  should  be  high  up  on 
the  jaw.  If  the  resistance  is  great,  the  effort  should  be 
energetic,  and  it  should  be  applied  low  down.  Therefore, 
without  greatly  altering  the  middle  position  which  the 
mouth-piece  should  occupy  between  the  tushes  and  the 
corners  of  the  lips,  we  may  raise  or  lower  the  mouth-piece  so 
that  the  horse  may  yield  his  jaw  by,  respectively,  a  light 
feeling  of  the  reins,  or  by  a  strong  pull  on  them.  In  other 
words,  the  softer  the  mouth  is,  the  higher  should  be  the 
mouth-piece  ;  and  the  harder,  the  lower  should  it  be  placed. 
In  no  case,  however,  should  it  press  on,  or  even  touch,  the 
corners  of  the  lips  or  the  tushes. 

We  learn  from  the  foregoing  remarks  that  the  proper 
tension  of  the  curb-chain  and  the  right  position  of  the  mouth- 
piece in  the  mouth  of  a  young  horse  can  be  found  only  from 
experience,  which  should  be  gained  from  very  slight  effects 
that  can  be  gradually  increased  in  severity  as  the  case 
may  demand. 

MARTINGALE. 

The  martingale  prevents  a  horse  from  star-gazing  and 
throwing  up  his  head,  and  helps  the  rider  to  guide  him.     If  a 


14  HORSE   AND    MAN. 

horse  is  well  broken  he  will  not  require  its  use.  I  would 
recommend  its  employment  only  when  the  teacher  has  not 
time  or  knowledge  to  properly  break  in  a  horse.  It  would  be 
well  to  put  it  on  a  horse  which  we  are  going  to  ride  for  the 
first  time,  whether  for  hacking  or  for  hunting,  if  we  had 
reason  to  think  that  he  threw  his  head  about  or  carried  it 
too  high. 

There  are  three  kinds  of  martingales,  namely,  the  standing 
or  fixed  martingale  buckled  on  to  the  nose-band,  the  running 
martingale,  and  the  standing  martingale  buckled  on  to  the 
rings  of  the  snaffle.  The  first  is  the  only  one  I  would 
recommend,  because  it  produces  its  effect  on  the  animal's 
nose  and  not  on  his  mouth,  and,  being  unconnected  with  the 
rider's  hands,  its  use  is  consequently  free  from  danger.  It 
ought  to  be  long  enough  to  allow  the  horse  to  carry  his  head 
high,  and  short  enough  to  prevent  him  bringing  his  nose  in  a 
horizontal  position,  in  which  case  the  curb,  by  revolving  from 
below  upwards,  would  produce  no  effect  on  the  mouth.  If 
the  martingale  is  too  short,  it  will  interfere  with  the  move- 
ments of  the  horse,  and  can  then  become  dangerous, 
especially  if  he  does  not  go  freely  forward  ;  because  when  it 
is  fixed  in  this  manner,  he  will  draw  his  chin  in  towards  his 
breast  so  as  to  escape  from  its  action. 

The  running  martingale  has  two  rings,  through  which  pass 
the  reins  of  the  snaffle,  and  occasionally  those  of  the  curb, 
which  is  a  very  dangerous  arrangement.  It  is  therefore 
connected  with  the  hands  of  the  rider  and  the  mouth  of  the 
horse.  It  may  be  of  great  service  to  experienced  riders,  but 
on  account  of  the  strong  effect  which  can  be  produced  \\'ith  it, 
it  is  particularly  dangerous  for  other  people. 

The  martingale  which  buckles  on  to  the  rings  of  the 
snaffle,  being  unyielding,  is  always  dangerous,  particularly  if 
the  horse  runs  back  ;  because,  in  this  case,  it  will  continue  to 
pull   ow  his   mouth.      If  he  rears,   which  he  \\\\\  have  a   ten- 


SADDLE.  15 

dency  to  do,  in  order  to  escape  from  the  pressure  of  the 
mouth-piece,  this  martingale  will  be  liable  to  make  him  fall 
backwards. 

SADDLE. 

I  would  not  advise  the  use  of  a  new  saddle,  which  rarely 
gives  satisfaction  to  the  rider.  New  leather  is  hard  and  stiff, 
and  consequently  the  seat  of  the  saddle  will  not  be  com- 
fortable. It  is  best  to  try  several  second-hand  saddles,  one  of 
which  is  certain  to  give  satisfaction. 

The  seat  of  a  saddle  ought  to  be  fairly  straight.  If  it  is 
too  high  at  the  pommel  the  rider  will  be  thrown  back,  and 
if  it  is  too  high  at  the  cantle  he  will  be  thrown  for- 
ward. I  am  also  of  opinion  that  a  saddle  should  have 
very  little  stuffing,  so  that  the  rider  may  get  close  to  his 
horse. 

The  length  of  the  flaps  should  be  proportionate  to  that  of 
the  thighs  of  the  rider.  If  they  are  too  short,  the  rider  might 
hurt  the  calves  of  his  legs.  If  too  long,  he  will  not  be  able  to 
feel  the  sides  of  the  horse  with  his  legs.  The  rider  can  please 
himself  as  regards  plain  flaps  or  knee  rolls,  which  are  a 
matter  of  habit  and  firmness  of  seat.  I  believe  I  was  the  first 
to  use  a  plain  flap  saddle  for  high  school  riding. 

I  always  begin  with  a  pupil  by  putting  him  on  a  French 
saddle  in  preference  to  an  English  one,  as  he  is  able  to  get 
better  into  it,  and  is  consequently  more  at  his  ease.  After 
the  beginner  acquires  a  firm  seat  in  a  French  saddle,  I  put 
him  in  an  English  saddle  covered  with  doeskin,  and  when  he 
is  able  to  trot,  canter  and  turn  without  rolling  about,  I  give 
him  a  plain  English  saddle  to  ride  on. 

STIRRUPS. 
I  never  allow  a  pupil  to  use  stirrups  until  he  has  acquired 
a  good  seat  at  all   paces,  and  in   this  respect   I    follow  the 


i6  HORSE    AND    MAN. 

example  of  all  the  old  riding  masters,  French  and  foreign. 
We  must  admit  that  formerly  riders  had  quite  a  different  seat 
to  those  of  the  present  time.  Stiffness  has  replaced  the 
pliability,  ease  and  grace  of  the  olden  time,  because  pupils 
have  fallen  into  bad  habits  from  the  commencement  of  their 
instruction,  either  from  want  of  comprehension  or  on  account 
of  being  badly  taught. 

Not  only  the  premature,  but  also  the  excessive  use  of  the 
stn-rups  has  other  faults.  I  am  of  opinion  that  the  great 
majority  of  dangerous  falls  are  caused  by  their  abuse.     For 

example,  Mr.  X is  run  away  with  b}'  his  horse  in   the 

Forest  of  Saint-Germain  ;  he  sits  well  down  into  the  saddle, 
succeeds  in  stopping  the  animal,  and  starts  into  a  trot  on  his 
stirrups  ;    unfortunately,    a    stirrup    leather    breaks    at    this 

moment,  and  Mr.  X falls  on  his  head  and  is  killed.    Every 

horseman  knows  that  the  breaking  of  a  stirrup  leather  can 
cause  a  rider  to  fall  on  his  head,  only  because  the  man  had 
put  all  his  weight  on  the  stirrups,  and  was  consequently  more 
or  less  out  of  the  saddle.  If  he  was  not  bearing  his  weight 
on  the  stirrups  he  might,  no  doubt,  roll  off,  but  the  severity 
of  the  fall  would  be  more  or  less  broken  by  the  fact  that  the 
knees  would  be  gripping  the  flaps  of  the  saddle.  I  would  go 
further  and  say  that  if  a  rider  did  not  depend  on  his  stirrups, 
he  would  hardly  ever  fall  off  on  account  of  a  stirrup  leather 
breaking. 

Let  us   take  another  example.     Mr.   Z ,  at  Toulouse, 

rides   out   of  his    stable   at   a   walk  ;    his    horse    falls,    and 

Mr.  Z is  thrown  forward  on  to  his  head  and  is  killed. 

We  need  no  knowledge  of  riding  to  understand  that  if  he  had 
been  sitting  in  his  saddle  he  could  not  have  been  thrown 
forward  with  such  violence.  I  hasten  to  add  that  I  recall 
these  two  well-remembered  accidents,  not  in  a  spirit  of 
criticism,  but  in  order  to  explain  the  sad  consequences  which 
may  arise  from   the  abuse  of  the  stirrups,  and   in  the  hope 


STIRRUPS.  17 

that  my  modest  advice  may  render  such  accidents  rare  in 
the  future. 

Standing  on  the  stirrups  is  Hke  standing  on  a  spring-board, 
in  which  case,  if  any  violent  movement  is  produced  by  the 
horse,  the  rider  is  Hable  to  be  shot  forward  as  if  from  a  cata- 
pult, and  ah^'ays  on  to  his  head.  Even  when  the  horse  plunges 
forward,  the  rider  will  be  rareh'  unseated  if  he  is  sitting  well 
into  the  saddle,  with  the  weight  resting  on  his  seat.  Then 
the  worst  thing  that  can  happen  to  him  is  to  be  shifted  on  to 
the  horse's  neck,  in  which  case  he  will  fall  softly  ;  but  if  he 
is  bearing  his  weight  on  the  stirrups,  with  his  legs  straight, 
nothing  will  be  easier  for  the  horse  than  to  send  him  between 
his  ears.  When  the  rider  adopts  this  faulty  position,  his 
body  is  carried  forward,  and  the  horse  is  able  to  plunge 
as  he  likes,  on  account  of  the  weight  being  taken  off  his 
loins. 

The  rider  who  stands  on  his  stirrups  is  in  the  position  of  a 
gymnast  standing  on  the  hands  of  a  comrade,  whose  business 
is  to  give  him  the  necessary  propulsion  for  making  a  dangerous 
leap.  In  order  for  him  to  be  projected  very  far,  it  is 
necessary  for  him  to  keep  his  body  and  legs  straight,  but 
if  he  bends  his  knees  he  cannot  go  far.  The  stirrups 
play  a  role  similar  to  that  of  the  hands  of  the  gymnast  who 
is  ready  to  give  the  propulsion.  Hence,  if  the  rider  bends 
his  knees  he  will  remain  in  the  saddle. 

We  should  bear  in  mind  that  if  the  pupil,  before  his  legs 
have  got  well  down,  is  allowed  to  use  the  stirrups,  he  will  not 
be  able  to  keep  his  feet  in  them.  He  will  then  make  all  sorts 
of  contortions  in  order  to  retain  them,  in  which  case,  not  onh' 
the  muscles  of  the  legs,  but  also  those  of  the  body  and  face, 
will  become  contracted,  and  the  neck  and  the  shoulders  will 
assume  a  characteristic  form  of  stiffness. 

Notwithstanding  all  the  care  which  the  teacher  ma}^  take 
later  on  to  correct  these  faults,  tlie  pupil  very  rarely  succeeds 

2 


i8  HORSE    AND    MAN. 

in  getting  rid  of  them  ;  because  it  is  extremely  difficult,  if  not 
impossible,  to  leave  off  a  bad  habit. 

CUTTING   WHIP. 

I  use  the  cutting  whip  only  in  work  on  foot,  in  order  to 
leach  the  horse  to  go  forward,  and  to  give  way  to  the  spur,  but 
I  discard  it  the  moment  I  mount.  True  horsemen  require  legs 
and  hands  ;  incompetent  riders  need  a  whip. 

SPURS. 

The  box  spur  is  the  only  spur  of  which  I  approve,  because  it 
remains  fixed  in  its  place,  and  it  can  therefore  be  applied  with 
precision.  All  the  other  kinds  are  liable  to  become  displaced, 
either  up  or  down,  so  that  one  is  never  certain  of  touching  the 
horse  on  the  spot  one  wishes. 

We  ought  to  use  dummy  spurs  (spurs  with  round  heads),  if 
they  are  sufficient  for  our  purpose,  and  we  can  replace  them  by 
spurs  with  very  blunt  rowels,  the  sharpness  of  which  should 
be  increased  only  when  necessary  as,  for  example,  when  the 
horse  does  not  answer  to  their  touch. 

Without  trying  them,  it  is  difficult  to  find  out  the  proper 
length  for  the  neck  of  the  spurs,  which  should  be  short,  if  the 
legs  of  the  rider  are  short ;  because,  in  this  case,  his  heels  will 
always  remain  close  to  the  animal's  sides.  If  the  rider  has 
long  legs,  he  will  be  obliged  to  raise  his  heels  when  he  wants 
to  use  the  spurs,  which  should  have  proportionately  long 
necks,  so  that  he  may  have  to  shorten  his  legs  as  little  as 
possible. 

man's  seat. 

As  a  rule,  every  one  can  acquire  a  good  and  strong  seat, 
but  every  one  cannot  become  a  fine  and  graceful  horseman. 

A  pupil  who  has  been  well  taught  from  the  beginning,  has 
done  his  best  to  learn,  has  trotted  without  stirrups  for  several 


MAN'S    SEAT.  19 

months,  has  ridden  horses  that  were  Hvely  and  difficult,  with- 
out being  dangerous,  will  of  necessity  acquire  a  firm  seat. 
He  will  hold  his  head  in  a  free  and  unconstrained  position,  so 
that  he  can  move  it  with  ease  in  every  direction.  He  will 
keep  it  high  in  all  ordinary  paces  and  when  jumping,  and  will 
lower  it  a  little,  with  the  chin  towards  the  breast,  when  going 
fast.  His  eyes  should  preserve  their  mobility,  and  should  not 
become  fixed  in  any  one  direction,  so  that  they  may  take 
notice  of  all  the  inequalities  of  ground,  fences  and  other  diffi- 
culties which  the  horse  may  meet.  He  should  keep  his  neck 
supple,  and  his  shoulders  down  and  without  contracting  them, 
as  is  often  done.  His  arms  should  hang  naturally  down  to 
the  elbows,  which  should  be  kept  close  to  the  sides,  and 
should  on  no  account  be  turned  outwards  ;  for  the  hands 
cannot  be  kept  light  if  the  elbows  are  in  this  position. 
Lightness  of  hand  is  absolutely  necessary  for  using  the  reins 
with  precision  and  without  jerking  them.  With  the  elbows 
firmly  fixed  to  the  sides,  it  is  easy  to  prevent  the  hands  from 
moving  about. 

A  rider  who  has  a  good  seat  will  keep  his  elbows  at  the 
height  of  his  waist,  the  insides  of  the  wrists  facing  each  other 
and  the  fingers  turned  inwards.  He  should  avoid  rounding 
the  wrists,  which  would  tend  to  bring  the  elbows  away  from 
the  sides,  and  would  prevent  him  having  a  straight  line  of 
communication  with  the  horse's  mouth.  The  action  of  the 
bit  on  the  mouth  of  the  horse  should  be  produced  only  by 
the  tightening  and  slackening  of  the  fingers  on  the  reins.  A 
rider  who  works  his  hands  a  good  deal,  does  not  know  how  to 
use  them  ;  but  a  man  with  good  hands  produces  the  necessary 
effect  by  a  simple  movement  of  the  wrist  and  fingers. 

The  rider  ought  to  keep  his  body  upright,  but  without  any 
stiffiiess,  which  prevents  the  independent  action  of  the  "  aids  " 
(hands  and  legs).  Stiffness  in  one  part  produces  muscular 
contraction  of  the  whole  body,  which  is  a  condition  entirely 


20  HORSE    AND    MAN. 

opposed  to  good  horsemanship.  He  should  in  no  case  hollow 
out  the  back,  because  that  will  produce  stiffness  which  is  the 
thing  we  should  avoid.  The  loins  (not  the  shoulders),  on  the 
contrary,  should  be  slightly  rounded,  so  as  to  preserve  their 
elasticity.  The  chest  should  be  kept  in  a  natural  position, 
without  being  pressed  out  in  an}-  wa\%  and  the  muscles  of 
the  pelvis  relaxed,  which  is  the  only  means  of  obtaining  ease. 

The  weight  of  the  upper  part  of  the  body  should  be  carried 
b)'  the  buttocks,  which  are  its  only  proper  support.  The  legs 
should  be  stretched  well  down,  the  thighs  flat,  the  knees  close 
to  the  flaps  of  the  saddle,  and  the  toes  turned  slightly  out- 
wards, so  that  the  horse  may  feel  the  leg  before  he  is  touched 
with  the  spur.  When  the  toes  are  turned  too  much  inwards, 
the  calves  of  the  legs  will  be  forced  outwards,  and  then  the 
rider  will  be  able  to  use  the  spurs  only  by  prods. 

The  fact  of  the  knees  forming  a  kind  of  fixed  pivot  will 
give  great  mobilit}^  to  the  lower  portion  of  the  legs,  which 
should  fall  naturall}'  from  the  knees,  and  should  not  be  kept 
close  to  the  animal's  sides.  In  order  for  the  rider  to  be  at  his 
ease,  he  should  sit  well  down  in  the  saddle,  without  hanging 
on  by  his  hands  or  gripping  by  his  knees,  which  should  grip 
only  when  occasion  demands.  B)^  alwa}'s  gripping  with  the 
knees,  the  rider  is  made  to  assume  a  cramped  position  on 
horseback.  On  the  contrary,  the  seat  should  be  maintained 
by  balance  and  not  b}'  gi'ip.  When  we  use  the  leg,  we  should 
use  it  from  the  knee  to  the  heel.  Fatigue  of  the  muscles 
above  the  knee  is  caused  b)'  stiffness  and  is  a  sign  that  the 
seat  is  bad. 

The  rider  will  also  appear  cramped  if  his  knees  are  too 
high,  if  too  low  he  will  rest  not  on  his  buttocks,  but  on  the 
inner  part  of  his  thighs,  which  fact  will  increase  the  firm- 
ness of  his  seat,  because  the  entire  len^'th  of  the  le""s  will  be 
applied  to  the  horse.  This  seat  can  be  used  with  advantage 
by  cavalry  when   charging,  onl)'  at   the  moment  of  meeting 


MAN'S   SEAT.  21 

the  enemy,  because  it  helps  them  to  avoid  being  displaced  by 
the  shock.  With  this  seat,  it  is  difficult  to  keep  close  to  the 
horse  when  he  changes  from  the  canter  to  the  trot.  In  con- 
clusion, I  may  point  out  that  a  rider  who  has  a  good  seat  sits 
on  a  saddle  in  the  same  manner  as  he  would  do  on  a  chair. 

When  the  rider  uses  stirrups,  his  toes  ought  to  be  higher 
than  his  heels.  Without  stirrups,  the  feet  ought  to  fall 
naturally,  and  consequently  the  toes  will  be  lower  than  the 
heels.  We  may  see  that  with  the  feet  out  of  the  stirrups,  it  is 
impossible  to  keep  the  toes  up  without  contracting  (stiffening) 
the  muscles  of  the  legs.  In  Germany,  pupils  are  taught  to  keep 
the  toes  higher  than  the  heels,  when  riding  without  stirrups, 
which  practice  gives  German  horsemen  their  characteristic 
stiffness.  I  am  aware  that  Germans  are  naturally  stiff  Even 
a  Frenchman  made  to  ride  in  that  manner  would  become 
stiff. 

The  length  of  the  stirrups  should  be  proportionate  to  that 
of  the  legs.  The  traditional  plan  of  measuring  the  length  of 
the  stirrups  by  that  of  the  arm,  affords  a  useful  approxima- 
tion which  one  has  always  to  rectify  when  mounted.  To  do 
this,  it  is  necessary  to  take  the  feet  out  of  the  stirrups  and  to 
leave  the  legs  hanging  down.  Then  the  stirrup  leathers  will 
be  the  correct  length  when  the  "  tread  "  of  the  iron  comes 
just  below  the  ankle  joint.  It  is  generally  recommended  to 
keep  the  foot  in  contact  with  the  internal  side  of  the  stirrup 
iron.  I  place  my  foot  at  an  equal  distance  from  both  sides  of 
the  iron.  We  can  give  great  suppleness  to  the  ankle  jcnnts  by 
working  them  in  various  directions,  and  can  then  let  go  or 
pick  up  the  irons  very  easily.  In  the  open  I  ride  with  the 
leathers  one  hole  shorter  than  in  the  school,  and  then  obtain 
a  better  support  in  quick  paces,  especially  when  rising  at  the 
trot.  In  the  manege  one  requires  to  have  the  legs  lower 
down  than  in  the  open,  so  as  to  get  the  legs  round  the  horse, 
and  it  is  also  necessary  to  be  entirely  on  the  buttocks,  in 


22  HORSE   AND    MAN.- 

order  to  catch  each  movement  of  the  horse.  We  all  know 
that  this  feeling  can  be  acquired  only  b\'  long  training. 

Many  physical  qualities  are  necessar}-  for  obtaining  a 
strong  and  graceful  seat.  For  instance,  it  is  evident  that 
a  stout,  short  man  is  less  likely  to  ride  well  than  one  who  is 
sufficiently  tall  and  slight.  I  say  "  sufficiently  tall,"  because 
it  is  a  common  error  to  think  that  one  must  be  tall  in  order 
to  ride  well.  On  the  contrar}^,  the  taller  the  horseman,  the 
more  difficulties  will  he  have  in  riding.  First  of  all,  the 
longer  the  body,  the  more  easily  can  it  be  displaced,  on 
account  of  the  height  of  the  centre  of  gravity,  and  the  harder 
will  it  be  for  the  equilibrium  to  be  restored.  Also,  long  legs 
cannot  adapt  themselves  to  the  sides  of  the  horse  so  well  as 
those  of  medium  length,  because  the  feet  are  below  the  sides 
of  the  horse,  and  if  the  rider  wishes  to  use  the  spurs  he  is 
obliged  to  bend  his  knees,  in  order  to  shorten  his  legs,  which 
action  is  ugly,  and  weakens  the  seat. 

I  recognise  the  fact  that  every  man  can  acquire  a  strong 
seat  if  he  works  hard.  The  remarks  I  lately  made  about 
German  stiffness  also  apply  to  the  English.  Nations  of 
Teutonic  origin  have  justl}'  earned  the  reputation  of  being 
the  best  horsemen,  which  the}'  have  become  b\'  their  great 
perseverance  and  love  of  work.  The  Latin  races,  being  of 
middle  height,  are  better  fitted,  b}'  their  suppleness  and 
agility,  to  work  in  harmon}'  ^\'ith  a  horse,  and  if  the}'  were 
industrious  they  would  certainl}-  be  the  finest  horsemen  in 
the  world.  But,  unfortunately,  they  are  content  with  being 
nearly  the  best.  It  goes  without  saying  that  I  am  speaking 
generally,  and  that  there  are  good  and  bad  horsemen  in 
every  country. 

The  ease,  firmness  of  seat  and  confidence  of  the  rider 
generally  depend  on  the  first  lesson  which  he  has  received  ; 
and,  as  1  have  said,  a  good  seat  is  acquired  only  b}'  trotting 
without  stirrups  for  a  long  time. 


MAN'S   SEAT.  23 

The  only  horses  bciginners  should  ride  are  those  which 
have  easy  paces  and  very  good  tempers.  One  cannot  take 
too  much  pains  to  give  confidence  to  a  novice.  It  is  only  the 
confidence  which  he  gets  in  his  first  lessons  that  will  enable 
him  later  on  to  ride  with  entire  absence  of  stiffness.  A  man 
whose  movements  on  horse-back  are  stiff,  may  remain  on  the 
outside  of  his  mount,  but  does  not  ride  him.  Stiffness  of 
arms,  legs  and  body  makes  fine  horsemanship  impossible. 
How  can  contracted  or  stiff  limbs  keep  in  touch  with  the 
horse  while  they  are  occupied  in  holding  the  body  on  the 
saddle?  When  they  become  supple,  and  when  the  body 
maintains  its  position  in  the  saddle  by  balance,  they  will 
acquire  a  delicate  feeling  with  the  horse,  which  they  had 
not  at  first.  Flexibility  of  the  limbs  and  a  good  seat  are 
indispensable  conditions  for  attaining  "equestrian  tact." 

Being  merely  stuck  on  a  saddle  is  not  riding.  Generally 
the  pupil  gradually  gets  out  of  this  faulty  position  only  by 
acquiring  confidence  in  his  seat.  I  need  hardly  say  that  a 
man  may  be  very  brave  and  yet  have  no  confidence  in  the 
saddle. 

Slight  horses  are  best  for  the  first  lessons,  especially  in  the 
case  of  boys  and  men  who  have  short  legs,  A  too  great 
separation  of  the  legs  might  have  grave  results,  and  it 
fatigues  the  groins  without  benefiting  the  rider  in  any  way. 
I  have  seen  malformations  of  the  hips  caused  by  this  practice. 
Later  on,  the  rider  becomes  accustomed  to  this  form  of 
gymnastics,  and  he  will  be  able  to  ride  a  horse  of  any  shape 
without  discomfort. 

I  think  that  beginners  should  not  ride  with  a  double  bridle, 
and  that  it  is  better  for  them  to  use  an  ordinary  snaffle,  with 
a  rein  in  each  hand.  If  they  are  at  first  given  a  double 
bridle,  the  body  will  probably  follow  the  movements  of  the 
hands,  because,  at  the  beginning,  they  almost  always  carry  the 
hands  and    also    the  arms  either  to  one  side  or  the  other. 


24  HORSE   AND    MAN. 

This  faulty  practice  is  avoided  when  the  snaffle  reins  are  held 
one  in  each  hand.  We  should  bear  in  mind  that  it  is  easier 
to  put  a  beginner  into  a  good  position  than  to  rectify  a  bad 
seat  later  on. 

To  sum  up,  I  may  say  that  the  chief  good  point  about  a 
rider  is  firmness  of  seat,  which  is  obtained  by  a  correct 
position  and  practice.  The  rider  should  have,  not  merely 
blind  pluck,  but  self-confidence  and  coolness,  without  which 
he  will  not  be  able  to  utilise  the  useful  things  he  has  learned. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  know  all  about  horses  in  order  to 
ride  well.  I  prefer  an  unscientific  man  who  can  stick  on  any 
rideable  horse,  to  one  who  is  strong  in  theory  but  weak  in 
practice.  The  purely  theoretical  man  almost  always 
succeeds  in  making  restive  horses  which  he  pretends  to  break 
in.  He  may  have  enough  firmness  of  seat  to  give  the  horse 
an  indication  to  move,  but  not  sufficient  to  enable  him  to 
enforce  his  orders  when  the  animal  "  plays  up." 

Nothing  is  worse  than  to  provoke  a  horse  to  resistance  if 
the  rider  has  not  the  pluck  to  make  him  give  in. 

lady's  seat. 

Except  as  regards  the  legs,  a  lady  should  sit  on  a  saddle 
exactly  like  a  man.  For  some  time  there  has  been  talk  of 
ladies  riding  astride,  which  practice  would  deprive  her  of  all 
feminine  grace,  and  would  afford  no  useful  result.  The  great 
want  in  a  man's  seat  is  firmness,  which  would  be  still  more 
difficult  for  a  woman  to  acquire  if  she  rode  in  a  cross-saddle, 
because  her  thighs  are  rounder  and  weaker  than  those  of  a 
man.  Discussion  of  this  subject  is  therefore  useless.  Ladies 
who  ride  astride  get  such  bad  falls  that  they  soon  give  up 
this  practice. 

At  all  paces  the  shoulders  should  be  parallel  to  the  ears  of 
the  horse,  which  is  possible  only  when  the  hips  occupy  a 
similar  position.     Therefore  the  position  of  the  lady  depends 


LADY'S    SEAT.  25 

entirely  on  that  of  the  hips.  The  two  legs  being  on  the  left, 
the  right  leg  is  hooked  round  the  upper  crutch,  and  is  more 
advanced  and  higher  than  the  left  leg,  which  presses  against 
the  leaping-head,  a  little  above  the  knee,  and  the  foot  rests 
in  the  stirrup. 

It  has  been  proposed  that  ladies  should  sit  on  the  right  side 
of  the  saddle.  English  and  xAmerican  journals  have  dwelt  on 
the  bad  effects  of  girls  on  only  one  side  of  the  horse,  and  they 
have  tried  to  make  out  that  this  practice  causes  curvature  of 
the  spine.  As  I  judge  only  by  practical  observations,  I  can- 
not say  how  it  would  affect  children  of  five  or  six  years  old  ; 
but  as  I  have  often  taught  beginners  of  twelve  or  thirteen 
years  old,  I  can  certify  most  positively  that  girls  of  that  age 
have  nothing  to  fear  on  that  score. 

I  am  well  aware  that  in  England  and  America  young  girls 
are  given  their  first  lesson  in  riding  by  coachmen  and  grooms, 
who  are  apt  to  teach  wrongly  and  to  pass  over,  and  even 
accentuate  faults.  The  same  remark  applies  to  many  riding 
masters  who  have  studied  both  theory  and  practice,  and  who 
succeed,  only  after  a  long  course  of  teaching,  in  correcting 
small  mistakes,  which  are  apt  to  become  greater. 

I  maintain  that  if  a  lady  is  taught  by  a  good  master,  her 
figure,  instead  of  being  spoiled  by  riding  exclusively  on  the 
left  side  of  the  saddle,  will  increase  in  grace  and  suppleness. 
We  may  therefore  continue  to  make  ladies  ride  only  on  the  left 
side.  Placing  her  on  the  right  side  would  be  accompanied  by 
the  serious  inconvenience  of  making  her  hold  the  whip  in  her 
left  hand,  which  she  cannot  use  as  easily  as  her  right.  Her 
whip  hand  acts  the  part  of  a  horseman's  leg. 

The  position  of  a  lady  on  the  left  side  of  a  saddle, 
causes  almost  all  the  weight  of  her  body  to  be  carried  to  the 
right  side ;  consequently,  the  left  hip  being  freer  from  weight, 
is  apt  to  be  stuck  out  behind  the  right  hip,  which  is  a  fault 
that  ought  to  be  avoided.     The  weight  of  the  body  ought  to 


26  HORSE   AND    MAN. 

be  equall}'  distributed  on  both  sides.  Like  a  man  in  his 
saddle,  she  ought  to  sit  in  her  saddle  exacth'  as  she  sits  in 
a  chair,  namely,  with  the  hips  and  shoulders  parallel  to  the 
ears  of  the  horse.  This  is  a  question  not  only  of  correct 
attitude,  but  also  of  strength  of  seat,  which  is  the  main  thing. 

A  lady  is  rarely  thrown  to  the  left,  because  she  is  supported 
on  that  side  by  the  crutches,  and,  if  need  be,  b}'  the  stirrup. 
All  the  danger  of  a  fall  is  therefore  on  the  right,  and  it 
increases  in  proportion  as  the  left  shoulder  is  drawn  back. 

It  is  easy  to  understand  that  if  a  horse  makes  an  abrupt 
movement,  or  makes  a  shy  from  the  right  to  the  left,  the 
upper  part  of  the  body  will  be  forcibly  thrown  to  the  right, 
a  displacement  which  can  be  easily  prevented  by  the  lady 
holding  herself  in  a  correct  position,  that  is  to  say,  if  her 
shoulders  are  placed  as  I  have  just  indicated.  If,  on  the  con- 
trary, the  left  shoulder  is  not  so  far  advanced  as  the  right 
one,  her  equilibrium  will  be  unstable  and  she  will  be  in  dan- 
ger of  falling  off,  which  kind  of  fall  should  be  provided 
against,  because  it  is  dangerous ;  for  the  lad}^  will  fall  on  her 
head,  supposing  that  she  gets  clear  of  the  crutches  and 
stirrup.  If,  in  falling,  her  foot  catches  in  the  stirrup,  or  if  her 
skirt  becomes  hooked  on  the  crutches,  she  will  become 
dragged  without  having  any  means  of  freeing  herself 

That  which  gives  firmness  of  seat  to  the  horsewoman  also 
endows  her  with  elegance.  Consequently,  she  need  not  sacri- 
fice either  of  these  advantages  for  the  other.  It  is  necessary: 
Firstly,  that  the  knees  are  brought  as  closel}'  together  as 
possible,  the  right  leg  being  firmly  hooked  round  the  upper 
crutch,  with  its  pressure  acting  from  front  to  rear.  The  left 
leg,  on  the  contrary,  by  reason  of  the  fulcrum  afforded  b}^  the 
stirrup,  exerts  its  pressure  from  rear  to  front.  Secondly, 
the  left  shoulder  should  be  carried  well  forward,  and  the 
body  slightly  bent  forward,  so  as  to  make  it  more  supple. 

If  the   left  shoulder  is  drawn  back  when  the  horse  is  at  a 


LADY'S    SEAT.  27 

walk,  and  consequently  when  all  the  weight  is  on  the  saddle, 
the  position  of  the  lady  is  bad  and  particularly  ungraceful. 
When  rising  at  the  trot,  her  seat  is  still  worse  ;  because  the 
left  shoulder  is  jerked  forward  when  she  rises,  and  goes  back 
when  she  comes  down  on  the  saddle.  This  is  the  well-known 
ungraceful  cork-screw  movement. 

When  the  lady  sits  evenly  on  both  sides  of  the  saddle  and 
has  a  good  position  at  the  walk,  her  hips  and  shoulders  will 
easily  remain  well  placed  at  the  trot. 

She  should  keep  her  body  well  under  her  when  rising  at 
the  trot.  The  upper  part  of  the  body  makes  no  effort,  but 
allows  itself  to  be  raised  by  the  movement  of  the  horse.  The 
foot  rests  in  the  stirrup  iron  without  stiffness,  and  the  ankle 
and  knees  act  only  as  hinges.  The  slightest  muscular  con- 
traction, or  the  least  effort  made  by  the  ankle,  knees  or  loins 
will  give  the  rider  a  stiff  and  ungraceful  appearance,  and  will 
cause  fatigue.  If  the  lady  will  carry  out  these  rules,  she  will 
ride  in  two-time,  namely,  one  on  the  saddle  and  one  in  the 
air.  Otherwise  she  will  come  down  too  quickly,  and  will 
mark  two-times  on  the  saddle,  which  will  give  her  a  useless 
and  fatiguing  shock.  I  will  refer  to  this  fact  at  greater 
length  when  discussing  the  position  of  a  horseman  at  the  trot 
(p.    146). 

A  horsewoman  should  have  great  pliability  of  body,  which 
she  will  acquire  by  practice  in  riding  and  other  preliminary 
exercises,  of  which  dancing  is  the  best.  It  also  depends  on 
certain  small  details  of  dress,  about  which  I  may  give  the 
following  advice. 

A  lady  on  horseback  is  apt  to  cut  herself  The  slightest 
crease  in  her  clothes  may  cause  an  abrasion.  For  a  long  ride, 
and  still  more  for  hunting,  she  should  wear  a  short  chemisette, 
made  of  very  fine  material,  and  fitting  close  to  the  body. 
The  collar  and  cuffs  ought  to  be  strongly  connected  to  this 
chemisette,  and  not  fixed  to  it  merely  by  pins,  which  arc  liable 


28  HORSE    AND    MAN. 

to  fall  out  or  hurt  the  wearer.  I  strongly  advise  that  she 
should  wear  socks  instead  of  stockings  ;  because  a  garter  is 
always  inconvenient  and  may  cause  serious  wounds.  The 
socks  should  be  furnished  with  a  close-fitting  collar  of  some 
soft  and  elastic  material,  such  as  knitting  or  jersey,  lined  with 
silk,  or,  still  better,  very  fine  doeskin.  The  trousers  should 
be  strapped  with  india-rubber  and  should  fit  rather  closely,  so 
that  they  may  not  wrinkle.  The  boots  should  have  elastic 
sides  and  not  buttons,  which  might  cause  wounds.  I  prefer 
ordinary  boots  to  long  boots,  which  are  too  hard,  and  are 
consequently  apt  to  cut  the  wearer  under  the  knee,  and  to 
prevent  her  feeling  the  horse  with  her  leg.  The  corset  should 
be  very  short  and  low.  A  long  busk  is  not  only  inconvenient, 
but  is  also  dangerous.  I  would  not  have  touched  on  these 
details  but  for  the  fact  that  the  dress  of  the  horsewoman  is 
closely  connected  with  her  strength  of  seat  and  ease  in  the 
saddle.  I  have  seen  so  many  ladies  returning  from  a  ride  in 
pain,  and  condemned  to  spend  many  da}-s  in  a  long  chair,  that 
I  am  certain  the  points  to  which  I  have  drawn  attention  are 
important. 

The  head-dress  of  the  lady  should  be  firmU'  arranged,  so  that 
it  may  not  occupy  her  attention,  in  which  case  she  will  think 
too  little  of  her  horse.  Then,  if  she  loses  her  hat,  she  will 
probably  lose  her  head. 

The  choice  of  a  saddle  is  of  great  importance,  both  for  the 
rider  and  for  the  horse.  Its  seat  should  be  quite  level,  so  that 
the  knees  of  the  rider  may  not  be  higher  than  her  seat,  and 
it  should  have  but  little  stuffing,  so  that  it  may  fit  close  to  the 
horse,  and  may  not  become  shifted.  The  smallest  displace- 
ment of  the  saddle  may  seriously  injure  the  animal's  withers. 
If  the  cantle  of  the  saddle  is  too  short,  it  will  certain!}-  hurt 
the  rider,  and  if  too  long,  it  will  hurt  the  horse's  loins. 

A  lady's  horse  should  have  high  withers,  so  as  to  prevent 
the  saddle  turninir  round.     Clreat  care  should  be  taken  that 


LADY'S    SEAT.  29 

the  mane  at  the  withers  does  not  become  pressed  upon  by  the 
pommel  of  the  saddle,  the  irritation  from  which  often  causes 
the  animal  to  "  play  up." 

A  few  words  about  putting  a  lady  into  a  saddle  may  be 
useful,  not  only  for  horsewomen,  but  also  for  men  who  have 
the  somewhat  parlous  honour  of  touching  a  lady's  foot.  I 
regret  to  say  that  when  being  "  put  up  "  a  lady  generally  does 
the  very  opposite  of  what  she  ought  to  do.  She  places  the 
left  foot  in  the  hands  of  her  male  attendant,  and  jumps  from 
the  right  foot  on  to  the  left  foot,  while  carrying  the  body  for- 
ward, with  the  result  that  all  the  weight  falls  suddenly  on  the 
hands  of  the  man,  who  is  inevitably  pushed  backwards  and 
away  from  the  shoulder  of  the  animal.  On  the  contrary, 
when  her  left  foot  is  on  his  hands,  she  ought  to  use  the  right 
leg  onl)^  to  make  a  slight  spring  which  will  enable  her,  by 
straightening  her  left  knee,  to  hold  the  body  upright  and  a 
little  inclined  to  the  rear.  This  is  a  very  simple  movement, 
and  is  exactly  similar  to  that  which  one  makes  when  getting 
up  a  rather  high  step  of  a  staircase.  The  lady  should  not  try 
to  jump  up,  but  should  limit  her  spring  to  straightening  the 
left  knee,  while  keeping  the  upper  part  of  the  bod}^  well  bent 
forward  ;  and  she  should  use  her  arms,  her  left  hand  resting 
on  the  shoulder  of  her  attendant  and  her  right  hand  on  the 
upper  crutch.  In  acting  thus,  she  will  mount  quite  straight 
by  the  impulse  given  by  the  hands,  and  will  come  natural])- 
on  the  saddle,  and  will  carry  the  seat  a  little  to  the  rear.  She 
should  not  try  to  place  herself  on  the  horse,  which  is  the  busi- 
ness of  her  attendant,  but  should  merely  occupy  herself  with 
sitting  down.  If  a  lady  attempts  to  jump  into  the  saddle,  she 
will  generally  strike  it  and  fall  on  the  man, 

I  cannot  help  adding  that  the  old  practice  of  giving  the  left 
foot  is  bad,  and  am  unable  to  explain  its  origin  or  the  reason 
of  its  continuance.  In  fact,  to  be  put  on  the  saddle  with  the 
left  foot  on  the  hands  of  the  attendant,  the  lady,  when  she  is 


30  HORSE    AND    MAN. 

raised  up,  ought  to  carry  her  seat  from  front  to  rear,  and  from 
left  to  right,  while  the  man  at  the  same  time  makes  a 
movement  from  rear  to  front  and  from  right  to  left. 
Here  we  have  a  double  displacement.  If,  on  the  contrary, 
the  lady  gives  her  right  foot,  which  is  nearer  to  the 
horse  than  the  left,  she  need  make  only  a  very  slight  spring 
with  her  left  foot  and  to  straighten  the  right  knee,  to  come 
naturally  on  the  middle  line  of  the  saddle,  and  to  sit  down 
without  the  slightest  displacement.  I  do  not  claim  the  merit 
of  having  discovered  this  simple  method,  which  has  long  been 
practised  by  many  of  the  best  horsewomen.  I  have  had  the 
honour  of  putting  into  the  saddle  sovereign  ladies  who  always 
mounted  in  this  manner.  Ladies,  without  having  previously 
made  up  your  mind,  please  try  for  a  week  this  method  of 
being  put  up  on  the  saddle,  and  I  am  certain  you  will 
adopt  it. 

As  soon  as  the  lady  is  in  the  saddle  she  ought  to  place  her 
right  leg  over  the  upper  crutch  without  waiting  to  settle  her 
skirt,  so  that  she  may  avoid  falling  off  in  the  event  of  the 
horse  starting  to  one  side.  I  ma\'  add  that  the  hands  of  the 
man  ought  not  to  quit  the  foot  of  the  lad\'  until  her  right  leg 
is  in  its  right  place.  To  dismount,  the  lady  takes  her  foot 
out  of  the  stirrup  and  gives  her  left  wrist  to  the  attendant. 
She  thereupon  removes  her  right  leg  from  the  upper  crutch, 
gives  him  the  right  wrist,  and  lets  herself  slip  down  to  the 
ground,  while  supporting  herself  a  little  with  her  arms.  She 
ought  to  alight  on  her  toes,  and  should  bend  her  knees,  so  as 
to  avoid  any  concussion,  which,  without  this  precaution,  she 
is  apt  to  receive  after  a  long  ride,  on  account  of  her  legs 
being  stiff  and  numbed.  I  repeat  that  the  lady  ought  to  give 
her  wrists,  and  instead  of  jumping  ought  to  slide  down.  It 
often  happens  that  the  lady  throws  herself  from  the  saddle 
and  the  cavalier  takes  hold  of  her  by  the  waist.  Not  being 
able  to  hold  her  up  with  his  outstretched  arms,^hc  lets  her 


LADY'S   SEAT.  31 

slide  through  his  hands,  which  is  ungraceful  and   not  par- 
ticularly decent. 

The  question  is  often  asked  whether  the  lady's  cavalier 
should  ride  on  her  right  side  or  on  her  left  ?  I  do  not  think 
that  a  fixed  rule  on  this  subject  would  work  well.  Under 
ordinary  conditions  the  man  should  be  on  the  right,  because 
the  lady,  in  order  to  turn  her  head  towards  him,  is 
obliged  to  carry  the  right  shoulder  back,  which  is  the  correct 
position,  as  I  have  already  said.  Further,  the  gentleman, 
being  on  the  right,  can,  in  case  of  necessity,  help  the  lady, 
to  whom  he  cannot  come  close  enough,  on  account  of  the 
position  of  her  legs,  if  he  is  on  the  left.  If  it  happens  that 
there  is  danger  on  the  left  to  the  lady,  by  reason  of  the 
presence  of  horses  or  carriages,  he  ought  to  place  himself  on 
that  side  in  order  to  protect  her  legs. 


32 


CHAPTER    II. 
ORDINARY    RIDING. 

Lunging  a  Horse — Close  work,  advancing — Collecting  a  Horse  and  direct  Flexion 
— Objects  to  be  obtained  by  direct  Flexion — Making  a  Horse  quiet  to  mount 
— How  to  hold  the  Reins — Teaching  a  Horse  by  the  Whip  to  obey  legs  and 
spurs — Horse  mounted,  first  Defences,  means  for  overcoming  them — The 
Walk— To  halt  and  stand  still — Changes  of  Direction— Lateral  flexions — 
Objects  of  Lateral  flexions — Rotation  of  the  Croup  and  Shoulders — School 
Walk — The  rein  back — The  7-amener,  collection,  rassembler,  and  equestrian 
tact — Side  steps  and  two  tracks — The  trot — The  canter — Voltes  and  demi 
voltes  at  the  canter— Changes  of  leg — The  Hack. 

LUNGING    A    HORSE. 

I  WORK  all  horses  in  the  same  manner.  The  animal 
which  is  to  be  broken  being  brought  into  the  school  saddled 
and  bridled,  I  pass  the  reins  of  the  curb  and  snaffle  through 
the  throat-latch,  so  that  the  horse  may  not  catch  them  with 
his  feet.  I  then  buckle  a  lunging  rein  to  the  left  ring  of  the 
snaffle  and  let  the  horse  walk  at  ease. 

For  every  lesson  the  horse  should  have  flannel  bandages  on 
his  forelegs,  from  the  fetlock  to  the  knee,  so  as  to  support 
the  flexor  tendons  and  to  guard  the  horse  from  getting 
splints  which  are  often  caused  by  a  green  horse  hitting 
himself 

Immediately  after  the  lesson  I  take  the  bandages  off  the 
forelegs  and  put  them  on  the  hind  ones,  and  leave  them  on 
for  three  or  four  hours,  which  period  is  sufficiently  long  to 


LUNGING   A    HORSE.  33 

prevent  the  legs  filling  and  windgalls  forming.  If  flannel 
bandages  are  constantly  left  on,  the  tissues  of  the  legs  are  apt 
to  become  softened  and  the  tendons  to  become  stretched  by 
the  action  of  the  heat. 

If  he  tries  to  get  away  from  me  I  let  him  go,  my  object 
being  to  make  him  keep  close  to  the  wall.  If  he  docs  not  try 
to  get  away  and  turns  towards  me,  I  show  him  the  driving 
whip,  the  sight  of  which  will  make  him  get  away  as  far  as  the 
lunging  rein  will  allow  him.  I  hold  the  whip  in  my  right 
hand,  the  rein  in  my  left,  and  I  let  the  horse  free  to  go  at  any 
pace  he  likes.  The  object  of  walking  the  horse  in  this  way 
round  the  school  is  to  make  him  examine  the  ground  and  all 
the  surrounding  objects  which  are  new  to  him. 

If  he  is  lively  he  will  probably  plunge,  and  then  canter  or 
trot,  but  he  will  soon  steady  down.  If  he  is  sluggish  he  will 
be  disinclined  to  go  forward,  and  it  may  be  necessary  to 
make  him  go  on  by  showing  him  the  whip.  If  that  does  not 
produce  the  desired  effect,  we  may  touch  him  lightly  on  the 
hind  quarters,  so  as  to  make  him  trot  or  canter  for  about 
five  minutes.  We  should  most  carefully  avoid  making  any 
abrupt  or  rough  movement  which  might  frighten  him. 

I  have  said  that  I  would  give  the  animal  five  minutes'  work 
at  a  fast  pace,  but,  of  course,  would  not  do  so  unless  he  was 
in  good  condition.  If  he  was  not  fairly  fit,  the  duration  of 
the  work  would  be  shorter  during  the  first  few  lessons,  and 
would  be  gradually  increased  up  to  the  five  minutes'  limit. 

When  the  horse  has  circled  for  five  minutes  to  the  left — 
that  is  to  say,  with  the  left  shoulder  towards  the  inside  of  the 
school — I  throw  the  whip  down  and  try  to  steady  the  horse  by 
my  voice.  I  then  shorten  the  lunging  rein  until  he  is  close  to 
me.  I  speak  softly  to  him  and  pat  him  on  the  neck,  which  is 
a  form  of  caress  that  all  horses  like.  I  also  stroke  his  head, 
if  he  will  let  me  do  so,  and  then  unbuckle  the  lunging  rein 
and  fix  it  to  the  off  ring  of  the  snaffle. 

3 


34  ORDINARY   RIDING. 

After  a  short  rest  I  begin  the  same  exercises  to  the  right 
for  five  minutes.  When  the  work  is  over  I  again  throw 
down  the  whip,  and  call  the  horse  to  me,  while  at  the  same 
time  gently  drawing  him  towards  me  by  the  lunging  rein, 
and  then  pat  and  stroke  him  as  before. 

In  my  opinion  the  foregoing  exercise  is  the  indispensable 
first  step  in  breaking,  and,  as  I  attach  great  importance  to  it, 
I  will  give  my  reasons  at  some  length  as  follows. 

A  young  horse  is  almost  always  restless  and  timid  ; 
shadows,  walls,  and  all  sorts  of  trifling  objects  frighten  him. 
He  rushes  away  from  anything  that  startles  him,  and  goes  to 
the  part  of  the  school  which  is  unoccupied,  while  I  remain  by 
myself  in  the  centre.  If  I  show  him  the  whip,  while  advanc- 
ing towards  his  side,  he  instinctively  flies  away  and  goes  to 
the  wall,  against  which  he  can  be  easily  kept  b)'  pointing  the 
whip  towards  his  shoulder. 

Being  placed  between  the  threat  which  I  make  and  an 
object  which  he  fears,  and  from  which  he  has  fled,  he  returns 
to  this  fixed  object,  which  appears  to  him  to  be  less  terrifying 
than  the  driving  whip.  When,  thanks  to  this  procedure,  he 
has  several  times  crossed  the  place  of  which  he  was  afraid,  he 
will  eventually  have  no  fear  of  it  We  may  note  that  it  was 
not  necessar}'  to  use  punishment,  which  should  be  our  last 
resort. 

Further,  if  the  animal  is  too  lively,  I  would  give  him  a 
good  long  turn  at  the  trot,  or  even  at  the  canter,  if  he  prefers 
that  pace,  in  order  to  get  rid  of  his  excess  of  energy.  If  he  is 
dull,  I  teach  him,  by  means  of  a  few  cuts  of  the  whip,  to  go 
forward.  We  must  draw  a  distinction  between  a  horse  that 
is  soft  and  one  that  is  sluggish.  If  the  former  is  properly 
fed  and  exercised  he  can  become  lively ;  but  the  latter, 
although  he  may  be  full  of  muscular  vigour,  does  not  like  to 
put  forth  his  strength  except  when  he  pleases,  a  fact  which 
makes    him    dangerous   to  an   inexperienced    rider.     We   are 


LUNGING   A    HORSE.  35 

never  certain  except  with  a  free-going  horse.  Although  an 
impetuous  animal  may  get  out  of  control  and  run  a\va\-,  I 
prefer  him  to  a  sluggish  horse.  Pluck  is  the  best  quality  in  a 
horse. 

I  have  always  obtained  a  good  result  with  my  equine  pupil, 
who  quickl}'  loses  fear  of  the  things  which  surround  him, 
because  he  has  no  one  on  his  back  to  hamper  his  movements 
and  upset  him.  I  easily  obtain  my  result  without  a  struggle, 
and  without  having  to  put  up  with  the  plunges  and  shies  of  a 
horse  which  has  been  mounted  too  soon,  and  which  is  liable 
to  roll  over  on  the  ground  with  me,  on  account  of  the 
awk\\'ard  use  of  his  feet. 

It  is  of  great  advantage  to  teach  a  horse  to  know,  bear  and 
fear  the  lunging  whip  ;  because  if,  later  on,  he  refuses  to  go 
forward  when  ridden  by  an  indifferent  horseman,  the  use  of 
the  whip  will  make  him  obey.  The  sight  of  it  will  often  be 
sufficient  to  make  him  go  forward.  If  he  refuses  to  do  so, 
we  should  touch  him  lightly  and  carefully  behind,  because 
an}-  roughness  or  abruptness  is  apt  to  make  him  resist. 

Lunging  has  the  further  advantage  of  enabling  us  to  make 
a  horse  trot  out,  by  driving  his  hind  quarters  forward  with 
the  whip.  In  fact,  we  can  thus  make  a  horse  acquire  the 
habit  of  collecting  himself.  By  being  lunged  in  freedom,  he 
will  gain  suppleness,  confidence,  cleverness  and  sure-footed- 
ness,  which  are  the  best  qualities  in  a  horse.  A  harnessed 
horse  puts  his  weight  on  the  collar  and  a  mounted  animal 
puts  it  on  the  hand  of  his  rider ;  but  a  horse  which  is 
lunged  is  obliged  to  balance  himself  independently  of  all 
support. 

A  horse  which  is  lunged  at  a  fast  pace  for  five  minutes  to 
the  right,  and  for  another  five  minutes  to  the  left,  gets  in  good 
wind,  on  account  of  the  work  his  lungs  have  to  do.  If  he 
was  ridden,  he  would  not  get  this  exercise  during  his  first 
few    lessons ;    because     they   would    be    given    at   a    walk. 

3* 


36  ORDINARY    RIDING. 

During  the  first  two  or  three  lessons,  I  let  the  horse  go  at 
any  pace  he  likes,  provided  that  it  is  fast  and  that  he  keeps 
to  the  wall.     I  make  him  trot  in  the  subsequent  lessons. 

It  is  so  easy  to  make  a  horse  trot,  that  one  ought  to  do 
so  with  any  horse  in  the  third  or  fourth  lesson  without 
an  assistant.  The  old  custom,  recommended  in  almost  every 
book  on  the  subject,  of  having  two  men  to  lunge  a  horse 
is  faulty,  because  it  is  impossible  to  have  perfect  harmony 
in  the  movements  of  these  men.  It  often  happens  that  the 
man  with  the  whip  touches  up  the  horse  when  he  ought  not 
to  do  so,  and  that  the  man  who  is  holding  the  lunging  rein, 
stops  the  animal  at  the  moment  when  his  comrade  is  making 
him  go  on.  Of  course,  such  a  discord  could  not  happen  if 
the  breaker  was  by  himself 

Supposing  that  the  horse  is  at  the  wall,  and  going  to  the 
left ;  the  breaker,  who  is  at  the  centre  of  the  school,  ought 
alwa)'S  remain  facing  the  horse  and  at  a  line  with  his 
shoulder,  thus  keeping  him  enclosed  in  the  angle  made  by 
the  lunging  rein  and  whip,  the  former  held  in  the  left  hand, 
the  latter  in  the  right  hand.  The  breaker  should  alwa}^s 
accompany  the  horse,  but  should  not  follozv  him,  and  should 
place  himself  so  as  always  to  keep  the  horse  between  the 
lunging  rein  in  front  and  the  ^\'hip  behind. 

In  order  to  accompany  a  horse  \\\\ho\x\.  following  him,  while 
constantly  remaining  in  a  line  with  his  shoulder,  we  need 
only  follow  the  diagonal,  while  alternately  extending  and 
drawing  back  the  arm.  This  precaution  is  essential,  because 
if  we  describe  a  circle,  when  following  the  horse  round  the 
school,  we  shall  get  giddy  and  become  unable  to  carry  out 
the  work  properly.  By  moving  diagonally  we  can  accom- 
pany the  horse  as  long  as  we  like. 

To  make  the  hor.se  trot,  I  touch  him  lightly  behind  with 
the  whip.  It  is  better  to  touch  the  shoulder,  but  we  should 
not  try  to  do]  so,  especially  with  a  young  horse,  unless  we 


LUNGING    A   MORSE.  37 

have  great  experience  in  using  the  whip.  If,  instead  of 
light!}'  dropping  on  the  shoulder,  the  lash  touches  or  brushes 
b\'  the  head,  the  horse  will  start  back,  and  we  shall  then 
obtain  a  movement  which  is  the  exact  opposite  of  what  we 
wanted.  xAlso,  if  the  horse  is  a  bit  lively,  we  may  stimulate 
him  with  a  click  of  the  tongue,  which  is  a  form  of  stimulus 
"\ve  should  not  use  too  much,  because  it  might  upset  other 
horses  when  we  are  in  compan\'. 

If  the  use  of  the  driving  whip  makes  the  horse  plunge  or 
go  off  into  the  canter,  as  it  often  does,  I  soothe  him  by 
lightl}-  shaking  the  lunging  rein  and  speaking  to  him  at  the 
same  time.  The  lunging  rein  should  never  be  kept  tight, 
but  should  lemain  in  touch  with  the  mouth  only  by  its  own 
weight,  and  by  the  vibrations  which  the  breaker  gives  it. 

I  have  already  said  that  the  voice  is  a  powerful  help 
in  breaking.  If,  when  we  shake  the  lunging  rein  to  make 
the  animal  adopt  a  slower  pace,  we  call  out  loudly  "  trot !  "  no 
matter  how  stupid  he  may  be,  he  will  soon  connect  in  his 
mind  the  effect  produced  on  his  mouth  and  the  sound  which 
falls  on  his  ears.  At  first  he  will  obey  only  the  combined 
impression,  but  he  will  soon  learn  to  obe}'  the  voice  b)' 
itself. 

When  I  ha\'e  obtained  a  free  trot  which  is  kept  up  for  the 
time  required,  I  bring  the  horse  to  the  walk  by  lightly 
shaking  the  rein,  in  the  same  manner  as  I  made  him  change 
from  the  canter  into  the  trot.  Here  also  I  use  the  voice 
rather  loudly,  though  mildly,  in  saying  "  whoa  !  " 

The  next  step  is  to  make  the  horse  come  up  to  the 
breaker.  To  do  this,  I  gently  shorten  the  rein  and  draw  the 
horse  towards  me,  while  walking  backwards  with  very  short 
steps,  so  that  he  gradually  gets  closer  to  me.  When  he  has 
arrived  within  reach  of  m}'  stretchcd-out  arm,  I  pat  him  on 
the  neck  and  soothe  him  with  the  voice.  I  take  great  care 
to   avoid    makinij   the   slightest   forward   mo\-ement  with  the 


38  ORDINARY    RIDING. 

body,  my  wish  being  to  give  him  confidence.  If  I  were 
to  make  a  step  forward,  he  would  immediately  spring  back, 
which  result  would  be  the  opposite  to  that  which  I  wished 
to  obtain.  If  nothing  has  frightened  him  while  he  is  coming 
to  me,  and  if  my  pats  on  his  neck  and  my  voice  have  shown 
him  that  he  need  not  fear  my  presence,  he  will  soon  gain 
confidence,  and  will  of  himself  try  to  come  to  me,  and  all  the 
more  readily  when  he  finds  that  tranquility  is  to  be  obtained 
only  at  the  centre  of  the  school.  He  ought  to  have  sufficient 
confidence  to  come  up  to  the  breaker  without  fear,  but  he 
should  do  so  only  at  a  given  signal.  Our  object  is  to  make 
him  understand  this  signal  without  the  use  of  the  lunging 
rein,  which  wall  be  discontinued  later  on. 

I  use  the  driving  whip  to  make  the  horse  come  up  to  me 
in  obedience  to  my  order,  and  I  give  him  light  and  repeated 
flicks  on  the  buttock,  ribs,  or  shoulder,  while  always  seeking  to 
block  the  side  from  which  he  tries  to  escape.  In  order  to 
make  the  animal  go  forward,  I  sometimes  touch  him  on  the 
breast,  in  which  case  his  first  movement  is  to  run  back  ;  but 
I  continue  to  hold  him  tightly  with  the  lunging  rein,  and 
while  preventing  him  from  running  back,  I  call  out  ''  whoa  !  " 

If  he  runs  back,  he  does  so  because  he  is  afraid  of  the 
whip.  An  unbroken  horse  does  not  fly  from  a  sting,  flick,  or 
prod  ;  on  the  contrary,  he  goes  up  to  it  and  lies  against  it. 

We  shall  see  further  on  that  the  effect  obtained  on  a 
mounted  horse  by  the  pressure  of  the  leg  or  by  a  touch  of  the 
spur  is  due  solely  to  education.  A  horse  in  a  state  of  nature 
will  do  the  very  opposite  to  what  he  will  do  when  broken. 
For  instance,  stung  on  the  right  flank  by  a  fly,  he  will  bring 
himself  round  to  the  right,  until  he  meets  some  object  against 
which  he  can  rub  himself  or  even  lie  upon. 

The  sight  of  the  driving  whip  makes  him  run  away  from  it, 
but  its  touch  makes  him  go  forward.  As  soon  as  the  tension 
of  the  lunging  rein  has  shown  him  that  he  cannot  get  away 


LUNGING  A    HORSE.  39 

from  the  sight  of  the  whip  by  running  back,  his  instinct  will 
cause  him  to  go  forward.  If  at  that  moment  the  whip  is 
lowered  and  a  pat  on  the  neck  given,  he  will  gain  confidence, 
will  understand  what  we  want  him  to  do,  and  will  obey  our 
wishes,  x^lthough  we  cannot  obtain  the  result  at  the  first 
attempt,  we  shall  do  so  in  a  few  lessons,  especially  if  the 
breaker  does  not  frighten  the  horse  by  some  abrupt  move- 
ment when  the  animal  is  advancing. 

We  can  dispense  with  the  lunging  rein  as  soon  as  the  horse 
will  come  freely  up  to  us,  when  we  show  him  the  driving 
whip.  This  first  lunging  work  is  only  preparatory.  It  has 
been  used  in  all  times,  but  has  been  applied  and  utilised  in 
different  ways.  It  was  employed  in  excess  before  the  days 
of  Baucher,  who  disliked  it.  I  think  it  is  useful,  supposing, 
of  course,  that  it  is  not  employed  to  fatigue  the  horse. 

In  order  to  make  a  horse  come  up  to  me  without  the  help 
of  the  lunging  rein,  I  use  the  same  methods  as  when  lunging. 
At  the  beginning  of  the  work  I  employ  the  rein  a  good  deal 
and  the  whip  only  a  little.  According  as  the  horse  pro- 
gresses I  diminish  the  use  of  the  rein  and  increase  that  of 
the  whip,  while  always  blocking  up  with  the  whip  the  side  at 
which  the  horse  tries  to  escape  from  me,  so  as  to  make  him 
come  up  to  me.  Finally,  he  gets  into  the  habit  of  coming  up 
to  me  on  seeing  tlie  whip,  and  without  my  using  the  rein  in 
any  way.  I  then  teach  him  to  follow  me  all  over  the  school, 
while  always  stopping  him  with  the  whip  from  getting  away, 
and  making  him  promptl)^  go  on  b)'  light  flicks  on  the  hind 
quarters. 

Finally  I  discontinue  the  use  of  the  lunging  rein.  If,  as 
always  happens,  the  horse  refuses  to  obey  the  whip  and  tries 
to  escape  from  me,  there  is  a  battle,  which  consists  in  my 
flicking  the  horse  on  the  hind  quarters  until  he  comes  up  to 
me,  which  result  may  at  first  appear  improbable.  However, 
when  the  horse  is  pursued  by  the  man  round  the  school  for  a 


40  ORDINARY   RIDING. 

sufficiently  great  number  of  times,  his  only  idea  will  be  to 
stop.  As  the  whip  follows  him  all  round  the  track  of  the 
school  and  allows  him  rest  only  at  the  centre,  he  finishes  by 
coming  to  it,  in  the  same  manner  as  he  learned  when  being 
lunged.  In  order  to  facilitate  this  movement  on  his  part,  the 
breaker  ought  to  seize  the  moment  when  the  horse  appears 
inclined  to  slacken  his  speed,  to  make  him  come  away  from 
the  wall,  by  showing  him  the  whip  in  front,  and  at  the  same 
time  calling  out  "whoa!"  which,  from  his  lunging  work,  he 
will  have  learned  to  regard  as  an  order  to  come  up  to  his 
breaker. 

If  the  horse  refuses  to  come  up  and  remains  at  the  wall,  we 
should  again  follow  him  up,  so  as  to  bring  him  to  the  centre, 
and  should  continue  to  do  so  until  he  obeys. 

I  may  add  that  the  breaker,  by  keeping  himself  out  of 
reach  of  kicks  and  blows  with  the  fore  feet,  will  make  his 
authority  felt  at  a  distance,  and  the  horse  will  learn  to  obey 
without  being  provoked  into  resistance. 

I  am  not  a  believer  in  the  caveson,  except  for  really  vicious 
horses.      If  it  is  used,  it  should  be  light  and  well  stuffed. 

Having  obtained  the  foregoing  important  result,  I  will  pass 
on  to  "  close  "  work. 

CLOSE    WORK  ;     ADVANCING. 

Having  given  up  lunging,  I  take  hold  of  the  snaffle  reins, 
after  having  passed  them  over  the  animal's  head.  I  replace 
the  driving  whip  by  a  cutting  whip,  which  I  use  along  with 
the  snaffle  in  the  same  way  as  I  employed  the  lunging  rein 
and  driving  whip. 

Having  the  horse  with  his  right  side  parallel  to  the  wall  of 
the  school,  I  place  myself  close  to  his  left  shoulder  and  take 
hold  of  the  whip  and  the  end  of  the  snaffle  reins  with  the  left 
hand.  It  goes  without  saying,  that  the  re\crse  aids  are  used 
\\hen  going  round  the  other  wa}\     I  conceal  the  ^^•h^p  from 


CLOSE    WORK;    ADVANCING. 


41 


the  sight  of  the  horse  b)-  placing  it  along  the  outside  of  my 
left  leg.  With  the  right  hand  I  catch  the  snaffle  reins  close 
to  the  animal's  mouth  and  just  below  his  chin  (Fig.  i),  and 
then  take  a  few  paces  forward.  If  the  horse  also  advances,  I 
pat  him  on  the  neck  ;  but  if  he  refuses  to  do  so,  I  touch  him 
up  behind,  close  to  the  girths  with  the  whip.  Occasionally,  a 
green  horse  at  first  refuses  to  advance  and  requires  a  touch 
of  the  whip,  which  is  generalh^  sufficient.     Some  horses  refuse 


L(b" 


Fie.  I. — Leading:  a  horse  forward. 


to  go  forward,  especially  if  we  make  them  bend  their  necks, 
in  which  case  I  replace  the  cutting  whip  by  the  lunging  whip, 
with  which  I  hit  the  animal  on  the  hind  quarters  and  always 
succeed  in  making  him  go  on. 

I  wish  to  direct  my  readers'  special  attention  to  this  decisive 
moment,  on  \\hich  contest  depends  our  future  success  with 
the  horse.  It  is  impcjrtant  to  understand  that  at  this  moment 
the  animal  pays  no  heed  to  the  demands  of  his  breaker  and 
is  ignorant  of  the  breaker's  means  of  coercion.  He  has  not 
yet  learned  to  fear  punishment,  and  knows  little  about  the 
reassuring  nature  of  pats  on  the  neck. 


42  ORDINARY    RIDING. 

Appropriate  punishment  and  reward  are  the  two  great 
principles  of  successful  breaking. 

If  my  horse  refuses  to  advance,  it  is  evident  that,  from  the 
position  I  am  in,  it  will  be  difficult  for  him  to  run  back,  but 
not  impossible,  and  it  is  necessary  to  look  out  for  any  move- 
ment which  a  green  horse  may  make. 

To  make  him  go  forward,  I  extend  my  right  arm,  while 
always  holding  the  snaffle  reins  with  the  right  hand  at  the 
chin-groove,  over  which  the  curb-chain  passes  ;  and  I  push, 
instead  of  drawing  forward,  whilst  holding  the  end  of  the 
snaffle  reins  with  my  left  hand  behind  my  back.  I  lightly 
touch  the  horse  with  the  tip  of  the  cutting  whip  a  little 
behind  the  girths. 

If  the  horse  is  quiet  and  not  too  nervous  and  excitable,  he 
will  go  forward  without  rushing.  He  will  often,  however, 
answer  to  the  cuts  of  the  whip  by  plunging,  rearing,  shying 
violently  to  one  side,  or  running  back,  which  are  the  four 
"  defences  "  which  a  horse  can  offer  in  this  case.  Let  us  now 
examine  the  best  means  of  thwarting  them. 

If  the  horse  plunges,  we  have  only  to  raise  his  head,  so  as- 
to  put  the  weight  on  his  hind  quarters,  taking  care  to  keep 
close  to  his  shoulder,  so  as  to  avoid  being  struck  by  his  fore 
feet.     A  horse  cannot  plunge  with  his  head  high. 

Rearing  is  more  dangerous,  because  the  horse  may  hit  the 
breaker  a  blow  on  the  top  of  the  head  with  one  of  his  fore 
feet,  to  avoid  the  bad  consequences  of  which  accident  it  is 
well  to  wear  a  chimney  pot  hat,  which  has  often  saved  me 
from  a  blow  on  the  head.  When  the  horse  rears,  the  right 
hand  should  quickly  let  go  the  snaffle  reins,  only  the  end  of 
which  should  remain  in  the  left  hand,  and  then,  if  the  breaker 
turns  to  the  right  about,  he  cannot  be  hit,  as  his  distance  from 
the  horse  will  be  equal  to  the  length  of  the  snaffle  reins  and 
that  of  his  left  arm.  Having  allowed  him  to  regain  his  feet, 
go  up  very  quietly  to  him,  while  carefully  concealing  the  whip. 


CLOSE   WORK;    ADVANCING.  43 

If  he  again  rears,  bear  strongly  on  the  snaffle,  but  without 
jerks.  When  he  has  tried  to  rear  three  or  four  times  without 
being  able  to  succeed,  he  will  soon  give  up  the  attempt,  and 
perhaps  may  throw  himself  on  his  side,  which  he  can  do  only 
to  the  left,  as  the  wall  is  on  his  right.  A  touch  of  the  whip 
on  the  left  side,  and  shaking  him  up  with  the  left  snaffle  rein 
will  be  sufficient  to  make  him  get  up. 

When  the  horse  runs  back,  we  should  place  ourselves  in 
front  of  him,  and  should  pull  strongly  on  the  snaffle  reins, 
while  slightly  bending  the  knees  and  carrying  the  weight  of 
the  body  back,  so  that  the  horse  can  drag  us  back  only  with 
difficulty,  and  consequently  will  soon  become  tired.  I  have 
had  so  much  practice  in  letting  myself  be  dragged,  while 
keeping  on  my  feet,  that  I  can  almost  always  stop  any  horse 
at  his  second  or  third  step.  When  he  finds  that  we  passively 
and  not  actively  resist  his  efforts,  he  will  generally  stop  and 
give  a  deep  sigh.  Fix  him  in  this  position,  and  try  to  find 
out,  which  we  can  easily  do  with  a  little  practice,  if  he  is 
going  to  yield  or  to   continue  his  resistance. 

The  lesson  should  never  be  interrupted,  and  it  should  on  no 
account  be  terminated  by  reason  of  thz  resistance  of  the  horse. 

When  the  horse  has  given  in,  I  again  gently  try,  as  in  the 
previous  manner,  to  make  him  go  forward  and  do  not  stop 
until  I  have  succeeded.  Almost  always  the  animal  promptly 
gives  in. 

In  the  first  part  of  this  breaking,  Baucher  used  to  tr\-  to  make 
the  horse  come  forward  by  lightly  touching  him  on  the  breast 
with  a  cutting  whip,  while  he  held  the  snaffle  reins  at  half- 
length  and  stood  facing  the  horse.  As  I  have  explained  in 
the  chapter  on  lunging,  I  do  not  object  to  this  method, 
although  it  is  open  to  the  serious  objection  (jf  rendering  the 
man  liable  to  be  hit  b>'  the  horse's  fore  feet  and  of  making 
the  animal  ticklish.  Besides,  touching  the  horse  on  the  breast 
is  of  no  further  use  in  breaking  ;  but  touching  him  on  the  sides. 


44  ORDINARY    RIDING. 

as  I  have  described,  is  the  best  preparation  for  the  use  of  the 
spurs. 

According  to  the  system  of  Baucher,  one  pulls  the  horse  by 
his  forehand,  and  if  the  animal  is  thus  made  to  move,  he  will 
drag  his  hind  quarters  after  him  ;  but  by  my  method  the 
horse  gets  his  hind  quarters  under  him,  and  by  their  means  he 
pushes  the  forehand  forward,  which  is  the  essential  principle 
of  good  riding. 

COIXECTING   A   HORSE   AND   DIRECT   FLEXION. 

As  soon  as  my  horse  goes  well  with  me  round  the  school  to 
the  left,  I  make  him  change  and  begin  similar  work  to  the 
•other  hand.  Then,  when  I  am  satisfied  with  him,  I  commence 
collecting  him.  While  going  to  the  left  and  keeping  myself 
at  his  left  shoulder,  I  take  the  bit  reins  in  my  right  hand,  at 
five  or  six  inches  from  his  mouth.  Keeping  the  buckle  of  the 
snaffle  reins  in  the  hollow  of  my  left  hand,  I  seize  with  its 
fingers  the  snaffle  reins  at  about  eight  or  nine  inches  from  the 
mouth,  and  I  carry  the  left  hand  in  advance  of  the  animal's 
head,  in  order  to  draw  him  forward.  It  is  absolutely  in- 
dispensable to  hold  the  snaffle  reins  in  this  way,  if  we  wish  to 
prevent  the  horse  from  stopping,  when  we  feel  the  curb  reins. 
Merely  holding  the  snaffle  reins  horizontally  will  not  do, 
because  we  want  to  do  more  than  to  simply  pull  the  animal 
forward.  It  is  also  necessary  that  the  pull  of  the  snaffle  is  in 
an  upward  direction  ;  because  it  ought  to  raise  his  head  and 
neck  at  the  moment  when  the  pressure  of  the  bit  prompts 
him  to  flex  his  lower  jaw  (Fig.  2,  jaw  contracted  ;  and  Fig.  3, 
jaw  and  bit  free,)  which  action  on  his  part  should  be  counter- 
balanced by  the  pressure  of  the  snaffle,  in  order  that  it  may 
not  make  him  lower  his  head  and  neck. 

I  feel  the  snaffle  reins  in  order  to  raise  the  head  and  neck, 
and  I  then  put  equal  tension  on  the  curb  reins,  in  order  to 
make  him  bend  his  neck   and  loosen  his  lower  jaw.       If  the 


COLLFXTING   AND    DIRECT   FLEXION. 


45 


horse  does  not  go  freely  forward,  I  take  a  stronger  feeling  of 
the  snaffle  reins,  and  if  he  stiffens  his  neck  and  lower  jaw,  I 


Fig.  2. — Jaw  contracted. 


make  more  use  of  the  curb  reins.  I  particularly  recommend 
that  the  tension  of  the  reins  should  not  be  of  a  uniform  and 
continuous  nature,  but  should  consist  of  light  pressures 
sufficiently  prolonged,  so  as  not  to  form  a  jerk,  and  sufficiently 


46  ORDINARY    RIDING. 

short,  so  that  the  horse  ma}'  not  be  inchned  to  bear  his  weight 
on  the  bridle. 

If  he  yields,  even  in  the  slightest  manner,  I  give  to  him 
and  pat  his  neck.  I  then  tr}'  to  get  him  to  yield  still  more, 
Avithout  asking  too  much  from  him.  I  again  giv^e  to  him  and 
pat  him  ;  and  so  on. 

We  should  take  particular  care  to  get  the  horse  to  give  to 
us,  not  only  with  his  neck,  but  also  with  his  jaw,  which  he  will 
do  b\'  opening  his  mouth.  The  bending  of  the  jaw  is  the  last 
stage  of  flexion.  Several  horses,  in  yielding  the  lower  jaw, 
whether  in  direct  or  lateral  flexions,  bring  the  jaw  from  one 
side  to  the  other  side.  Although  the  jaw  in  this  case  does  not 
resist  the  hand,  it  \'ields  by  going  to  the  right  or  left,  instead 
of  yielding  in  the  direction  of  the  axis  of  the  head.  This  in- 
complete method  of  yielding  can  be  corrected  only  b}'  stimu- 
lating the  animal  to  go  forward. 

We  can  easily  understand  that  if  the  lower  jaw  is  carried  to 
the  right  or  left,  the  horse  will  not  be  correctly  in  hand, 
although  his  head  and  neck  will  be  in  a  good  position.  His 
appearance  of  being  in  hand  is  not  real,  because  the  contrac- 
tion of  the  muscles  of  his  lower  jaw  makes  it  impossible  for  his 
mouth  to  be  light.  In  these  conditions  the  horse  will  never  go 
freely  up  to  his  bridle,  despite  the  stimulus  of  the  legs.  If  I 
require  an  increase  of  impulsion,  it  is  because  the  horse,  b\' 
escaping  from  the  straight  line,  brings  his  head  too  near  his 
breast,  in  which  case  he  will  have  a  tendenc)'  to  get  behind  his 
bit.     It  is  therefore  necessary  to  send  him  up  to  it. 

Finally,  if  the  jaw  does  not  yield,  the  bending  of  the  neck 
will  onl}'  cause  the  weight  to  be  brought  back,  and  con- 
sequcntl}-  to  make  the  horse  rein  back  or  get  behind  the 
bit. 

The  entire  principle  of  direct  flexion  consists  in  the  alternate 
opposing  actions  of  the  curb  and  snaffle.  Whilst  the  snaffle 
draws    the    forehand    forward,    a    light    pressure    of   the    curb 


COLLECTING   AND    DIRECT   FLEXION, 


47 


steadies  and  bends  the  head,  and  causes  the  jaw  to  yield  with- 
out stopping  the  forehand. 

To  obtain  this  result,  combined  with  lightness,  we  must  ccn- 
V 


v^'^' 


Fig.  3. — Jaw  and  bit  free. 


tinually  practise  the  great  principle  of  taking  and  giving  ;  the 
former  to  stop  resistance,  the  latter  to  reward  obedience. 
Having  obtained  it,  we  should  again  take,  so  as  to  make  the 
horse  yield  still  more  ;  and  so  on. 


48  ORDINARY    RIDING. 

A  horse  should  not  only  champ  his  bit,  but  should  also 
relax  his  lower  jaw  to  it  (Fig.  3),  which  concession  proves 
that  the  bending  of  the  head  and  neck  is  perfect.  With 
this  object,  when  the  lower  jaw  readily  yields  to  the  tension 
of  the  curb,  we  should  prolong  this  tension  until  the  horse 
completely  loosens  his  hold  on  the  curb,  and  we  ought  to 
keep  touching  him  lightly  on  the  side,  so  as  to  prevent  him 
stopping  (Fig.  4). 

It  is,  of  course,  understood  that  this  work  ought  to  be  done 
with  great  lightness  of  hand.  We  can  gauge  the  sensibility 
of  the  mouth  by  an  alternative  feeling  of  the  curb  and  snaffle^ 
and  can  thus  at  once  find  out  if  the  horse  has  a  hard  or 
soft  mouth.  In  this  manner  we  readily  get  good,  that  is  to 
say,  ligJit  hands,  with  which  we  can  manage  almost  any  horse 
by  the  continued  play  of  "  take  and  give."  It  is  a  great 
advantage  to  have  good  hands,  which  will  be  sufficient  for 
all  ordinary  work.  But  we  can  take  and  give  for  all  our 
life  without  being  able  to  render  an  account  of  what  we  are 
doing,  in  which  case  neither  the  hand  nor  the  horse  makes 
any  progress.  Finally,  the  action  of  the  hand  would  be 
limited  to  giving  when  the  horse  pulls,  and  pulling  when  he 
gives.  This  faculty  may  be  called  the  possession  of  a  bell 
in  the  hand,  and  is  in  fact  the  movement  of  a  bell  in  all 
its  beaut)^ 

The  ivell-trained  hand  acts  in  the  contrary  m.anner,  because 
its  role  is  to  break  in  the  horse,  that  is  to  say,  to  advance 
his  education.  It  remains  fixed  in  position  by  strongly  closing 
the  fingers  when  the  horse  pulls,  but  the  moment  the  horse 
yields  his  lower  j^w,  the  fingers  should  be  relaxed  with  the 
rapidity  of  an  electric  flash. 

A  good  hand  gives  when  the  horse  takes,  and  takes  when 
he  gives.  A  ivell-trained  hand  gives  when  the  horse  gives, 
and  takes  when  he  takes,  and  that  instantaneously. 

In  all  cases  we  ought  to  guard  against  confounding  hardness 


COLLECTING   AND   DIRECT    ELEXION. 


49 


of  mouth  with  the  resistance  which  is  due  to  a  faulty  position 
of  the  head.  A  horse  which  carries  his  head  low  is  always 
heavy  in  hand,  because  he  puts  all  his  weight  forward,  but 
it  does  not  therefore  follow  that  he  has  a  hard  mouth.  If 
we  simply  change  the  position  of  his  head,  and  place  it  high,  it 
will  not  bear  on  the  hand,  and  we  will  be  able  to  find  out  what 
kind  of  a  mouth  he  has. 


Fig.  4. — Going  forward  when  mobilising  the  lower  jaw,  so  as  to 
prevent  the  horse  getting  behind  his  bit. 

It  is  a  mistake  to  think,  as  many  do,  that  a  horse  which 
slavers  or  foams  at  the  mouth  has  a  good  mouth.  To  produce 
this  soapy  foam,  a  horse  must  contract  his  tongue,  ancl  will  not 
then  be  able  to  have  his  mouth  free,  at  rest,  and  ready  for  the 
fingering  of  his  rider.  A  horse  produces  this  foam  by  con- 
stantly turning  his  tongue,  or  by  rubbing  it  against  his  hard 
palate,  by  passing  it  over  the  bit,  or  by  making  it  into  a 
ball  at  the  back  of  his  mouth.     In  all   these  cases,   the  only 

4 


50  ORDINARY   RIDING. 

remedy  is  to  put  a  small  movable  plate  of  the  shape  of  a 
figure  of  eight,  with  its  centre  on  the  top  of  the  port  of 
the  bit,  upon  which  it  can  revolve.  This  apparatus  will 
also  prevent  horses  letting  their  tongues  hang  out  of  their 
mouths. 

Sometimes  a  horse  foams  at  the  mouth  by  playing  with 
one  of  the  cheeks  of  the  bit,  which  we  can  prevent  by  putting 
the  mouthpiece  a  little  higher  up  in  his  mouth  and  tightening 
the  chin-strap,  so  that  he  cannot  reach  the  cheeks  of  the  bit 
either  with  his  tongue  or  lips. 

A  good  moiitli  will  always  continue  fresh  during  work  with- 
out being  either  dry  or  wet. 

If  the  flexion  has  been  made  in  the  manner  I  have  indicated, 
and  by  the  methods  I  have  described,  the  horse  will  have  his 
neck  high  and  bent  at  the  poll ;  the  axis  of  the  head  will  be  a 
little  beyond  the  perpendicular,  the  mouth  open,  and  the  curb 
free  (Fig.  3).  In  order  that  the  flexion  may  be  irreproachable, 
it  is  necessary  that  the  muzzle  should  be  on  a  Ime  with  the 
upper  part  of  the  shoulder  (Fig.  5).  The  bending  of  the  neck 
should  bring  the  direction  of  the  head  near  to,  but  not  behind 
the  perpendicular,  which  faulty  position  can  be  produced  only 
when  the  neck  is  bent  at  a  point  too  near  the  withers.  By  this 
position  I  have  my  horse  very  lightly  on  the  bit.  Whereas 
Baucher,  who  liked  to  have  his  mount  behind  the  bit,  drew  the 
animal's  head  back  beyond  the  perpendicular,  and  thus  put  the 
horse  into  this  position. 

I  will  now  describe  the  mechanism  of  direct  flexion,  as  I 
understand  it,  and  as  I  have  practised  it,  with  this  single 
difference,  that,  for  the  sake  of  clearness,  I  take  for  granted 
that  the  horse  is  halted  ;  although  I  will  explain  later  on, 
that  at  first  I  make  the  direct  flexion  while  going  forward. 

The  majority  of  riding  masters  practice  this  flexion  in 
an  entirely  different  manner.  To  give  an  account  of  what 
ought    to  be   the  direct    flexion,    which    is    the    fundamental 


OBJECTS  OBTAINED  BY  DIRECT  FLEXION.     51 

principle  of  riding,  we   must   first  know  what   is   the  desired 
result  to  be  obtained  from  making  it. 


OBJECTS   TO   BE   OBTAINED   BY   DIRECT   FLEXION. 
I.   To  balance  the  horse  by  the  height  of  his  neck.     It  is  very 
rare  that  horses  are  naturally  well  balanced.     On  account  of 


Fig.  5. — Muzzle  on  a  line  with  upper  part  of  shoulder. 

their  conformation,  all  horses  have  a  tendency  to  be  heavy  in 
front,  and  the  majority  of  them  have  this  defect  ;  the  cause 
being  the  distance  which  the  head  is  removed  from  the  base 
of  support.  The  further  the  head  is  away  from  the  centre  of 
gravity  the  lower  it  is,  and  the  more  weight  is  on  the 
shoulders.  The  result  of  raising  the  neck,  so  as  to  bring  the 
head  near  to  the  centre  of  gravity,  is  to  more  or  less  equalise 
the  distribution  of  weight.     As  good   horsemanship  depends 


52  ORDINARY   RIDING. 

on  the  distribution  of  weight,  as  we  shall  see  further  on  ;  the 
first  step  in  breaking  ought  to  be  the  equal  distribution  of 
weight,  so  that  good  equilibrium  maintained  during  pro- 
gression may  later  on  give  lightness  to.every  movement. 

Raising  the  neck  and  putting  equal  weight  on  the  fore- 
hand and  hind  quarters  will  allow  them  full  freedom  and 
energy,  and  will  put  the  horse  in  such  a  position  that  he 
will  only  require  to  be  stimulated.  With  the  neck  high, 
the  hocks  are  easily  brought  under  the  centre  of  the 
body,  and  the  action  of  the  fore  legs  becomes  lofty.  In  a 
word,  raising  the  neck  gives  good  equilibrium  and  grace 
by  lightness. 

In  racing,  one's  sole  object  is  to  gain  in  length  without 
paying  any  attention  to  high  action.  Consequently,  in 
training,  one  guards  against  raising  the  neck.  Here  we 
prove  the  principle  that  a  horse  extends  himself  as  much  as 
possible  by  "  daisy  cutting." 

But  there  are  horses  which  are  heavy  behind,  and  one 
might  think  that  if  it  is  good  to  raise  the  neck  of  a  horse 
which  is  heavy  in  front,  it  would  be  necessary  to  lower  the 
neck  of  the  animal  whieh  is  heavy  behind  ;  but  this  is  not  so. 
As  I  have  just  explained,  the  conformation  of  the  horse  and 
the  relations  between  his  levers  are  such  that  the  equilibrium 
of  his  mass  can  be  obtained  only  by  raising  the  neck. 

The  horse  which  is  heavy  behind  is  inclined  to  get  behind 
his  bit,  and  has  his  hocks  either  too  far  removed  or  too  near 
his  centre.  In  the  former  case  the  horse  is  too  much 
stretched  out,  and  in  the  latter  the  croup  is  unduly  lowered, 
and  the  points  of  the  buttocks  are  much  further  back  than 
the  hocks.*  Here,  instead  of  a  naturally  bad  distribution  of 
the  weight  of  the  mass,  as  with  a  horse  heavy  in  front,  we  have 

*  This  position  is  dangerous,  because  the  horse  is  ready  to  rear.  The  danger 
of  being  behind  the  bit  is  restiveness,  which  causes  rearing,  witli  the  probability 
of  the  animal  falling  backwards. 


OBJECTS  OBTAINED  BY  DIRECT  FLEXION.     53 

a  bad  voluntary  distribution  of  the  forces  in  an  animal  which 
holds  himself  back  and  which  does  not  wish  to  advance  ;  and 
his  hocks  do  not  do  their  work  of  pushing"  the  mass  forward. 
If  we  overload  the  forehand  by  lowering  the  neck,  we  add 
still  more  to  the  weight,  and  consequently  we  increase  the 
difficulty  of  the  work  required  from  the  hocks.*  We  must 
therefore  raise  the  neck  in  order  to  lighten  the  forehand  ;  but 
we  should  raise  it  from  below  upwards,  and  not  from  front  to 
rear,  while  taking  care  not  to  exaggerate  the  movement  and 
to  keep  the  hand  very  light.  A  high  position  of  the  neck  is 
the  first  condition  of  good  equilibrium,  and  having  obtained 
it,  we  should  seek  to  give  freedom  to  the  hind  quarters,  while 
bringing  them  into  action,  and  making  the  horse  go  freely 
forward,  which  we  do  by  the  flexions  of  the  well-placed  head, 
by  the  loosening  of  the  jaw,  and  especially  by  the  legs.  A 
horse  which  is  heavy  in  his  hind  quarters  is  behind  his  bit, 
and  if  he  does  not  wish  to  go  forward,  he  is  behind  the 
legs.  With  such  an  animal  we  must  employ  great  lightness 
of  hand  and  great  energy  of  the  legs,  so  as  to  change  his 
distribution  of  weight  by  making  him  go  up  to  his  bit.f  We 
cannot  obtain  this  result  by  a  low  position  of  the  neck,  which 
is  the  chief  obstacle  to  lightness. 

2.  To  fix  the  neck  in  the  axis  of  the  body  by  connecting  to  the 
shoulders  the  head  rendered  light  by  flexion.  The  unbent  head 
is  heavy  at  the  end  of  the  neck,  which  has  become  too 
movable.  Hence  the  proverb,  "  Heavy  head,  slack  neck." 
This  is  a  case  similar  to  that  of  holding  a  fishing-rod  b)-  its 
thin  end.  The  flexed  head,  on  the  contrary,  moves  with 
lightness  on  the  high  neck,  which  is  kept  without  stiff'ness  on 
the    axis   of  the    body   by    the    sole    action    of    the    good 

*  Without  taking  into  consideration  that  a  depressed  position  of  the  neck  will 
give  only  more  spring  to  the  act  of  rearing. 

f  In  such  cases  the  driving  whip,  which  obliges  the  horse  to  go  forward,  is  a 
good  preparation  for  the  use  of  the  legs. 


54  ORDINARY   RIDING. 

equilibrium  of  the  levers.  Head,  neck,  and  shoulders  fixed 
in  the  axis  of  the  well-balanced  body,  and  making  a  supple 
and  homogeneous  whole.     This  is  the  action  of  flexion. 

3.  To  obtain  lightness  by  the  relaxation  or  flexion  of  the  Jaw. 
Having  the  body  balanced  and  connected  in  all  its  parts,  the 
flexion  of  the  jaw  enables  us  to  regulate  collectively  with 
extreme  lightness  all  the  movements  from  rear  to  front, 
and  from  front  to  rear,  by  receiving  on  the  hand  the  impul- 
sion of  the  mass  which  the  legs  throw  on  the  bit,  and  which 
the  hand,  in  its  turn,  partly  sent  back  to  the  rider's  legs. 
The  hand  only  retains  and  sends  back  to  the  centre  the 
amount  of  impulsion  which  is  necessary  to  maintain  equili- 
brium. The  greater  portion  of  the  impulsion  is  naturally- 
employed  to  propel  the  body  forward.  The  flexibility  from 
front  to  rear  of  the  arm  of  the  bent  and  jointed  lever  formed 
by  the  neck,  head,  and  jaw,  progressively  increases  from  rear 
to  front ;  that  is  to  say,  from  the  shoulders  to  the  neck,  from 
the  neck  to  the  head,  and  from  the  head  to  the  jaw.  In 
other  words,  we  hold  the  fishing-rod  by  its  butt  end. 

Thus,  all  the  force  developed  by  the  horse  is  concentrated 
in  the  hand,  the  slightest  action  of  which  on  the  bars  bends, 
first,  the  jaw,  proportionately  to  the  impulsion  ;  secondly,  the 
head*  by  the  jaw  ;  and  thirdly,  by  the  head,  the  neck  ;  the 
neck  reacting  with  its  greatest  effect  on  the  shoulders.  The 
expression  employed  to  define  the  reciprocal  position  of  the 
horse  and  rider  is  most  exact.  We  have  really  our  horse  in 
hand. 

With  respect  to  these  remarks  it  is  necessar}-  to  point  out 
that  the  position  of  the  head  is  singularh^  favourable  to  the 
action  of  the  reins.      In  fact,  the  curb,  which  acts  almost  like 


*The  head  ought  to  oscillate  from  a  position  a  little  beyond  the  perpendicular 
to  the  perpendicular,  but  never  in  rear  of  it.  The  position  which  I  have  indi- 
cated enables  us  to  get  by  the  shortest  way  to  the  end  of  the  lever,  and  to  obtain 
the  greatest  eft'ect  t)y  the  smallest  effort. 


55 


Fig.  6. — Correct  preparation  for  direct  flexion. 


Fig.  7.— Preparation  for  Baucher's  direct  flexi 


56  ORDINARY   RIDING. 

a  second  snaffle,  if  the  head  is  low,  presses  freely  on  the  bars, 
and  develops  all  its  power  when  the  head  is  raised,  provided 
always  that  the  head  is  kept  a  little  beyond  the  perpen- 
dicular. The  moment  the  axis  of  the  head  comes  behind  the 
perpendicular,  the  action  of  the  curb  is  false,  because  it  works 
from  below  upwards.  Then  the  horse  begins  to  draw  his 
chin  into  his  breast. 

Such,  I  consider,  is  direct  flexion  and  its  object. 

We  can  see  that  this  flexion,  as  I  practice  it,  is  not  done 
by  chance  or  simple  routine.  On  the  contrary,  I  have  care- 
fully given  my  reasons,  and  I  have  touched  on  all  details  to 
justify  my  practice. 

Unfortunately  Baucher,  who  was  the  first  to  improve  the 
art  of  flexions,  by  making  it  the  base  of  his  method,  did  not 
give  a  complete  account  of  its  mechanism.  This  did  not 
matter  much  to  him,  because  his  marvellous  equestrian  tact 
remedied  every  deficiency.  Where  his  theory  was  false,  his 
hands  and  legs  by  themselves  rectified,  more  or  less 
conscientiously,  the  error  of  his  doctrine. 

Baucher,  however,  could  not  put  his  tact  into  his  books, 
in  which  he  left  his  good  and  bad  doctrines.  I  consider  that 
by  criticising  him  and  by  showing  where  he  has  failed,  I  shall 
render  increased  homage  to  the  great  horseman.  I  maintain 
that  the  flexion  which  Baucher  has  described,  and  which 
is  practised  every  day,*  has  done  much  to  discredit  in  the 
minds  of  horsemen  this  most  useful  exercise,  which  I  con- 
sider to  be  the  first  condition  of  good  equitation. 

Baucher's  faulty  flexion,  which  is  in  very  common  use 
to-day,  is  made  at  the  withers  instead  of  at  the  poll.  It 
lowers  the  neck,  and  causes  the  horse  to  place  the  weight  on 
his  shoulders,  that  is  to  say,  it  aggravates  the  natural  fault 
in  equine  conformation,  and  it  makes  him   liable  to  fall  by 

*  Alas  !  ihe  faults  of  masters  are  acquired  more  easily  than  their  good  qualities. 


57 


Fig.  8. — Incorrect  and  frequently  employed  flexion. 


Fig.  9. — Lowering  the  head — a  faulty  practice. 


58  ORDINARY   RIDING. 

carrying  his  head  low,  and  to  draw  his  chin  into  his  breast 
by  bringing  his  head  behind  the  perpendicular.  We  must 
note  that  this  fault  was  originated  by  Baucher,  who,  during 
the  greater  part  of  his  career,  made  the  flexions  at  the 
withers  by  lowering  the  neck.  Compare  Fig.  6,  which 
shows  the  flexion  I  have  described,  with  Fig.  7,  which 
illustrates  Baucher's  flexion,  and  which  I  have  taken  from  his 
book.  It  is  well  to  note  that  Baucher's  horse  in  Fig.  7 
has  his  legs  stuck  out  in  front,  and  consequently  it  is  im- 
possible for  him  to  go  forward.  Nothing  could  be  worse  ! 
Compare  the  correct  flexion,  shown  in  Fig.  5,  with  that 
in  Fig.  8,  which  is  the  more  frequently  practised  of 
the  two. 

Towards  the  end  of  his  life  Baucher  recognised  this 
mistake  (see  his  last  edition,  1874);  but  he  restricted  himself 
to  raising  the  head  of  the  horse,  without  making  the  flexion 
when  it  was  high.  Whatever  he  did  and  whatever  errors  he 
made,  he  was  an  incomparable  horseman.  The  people  of 
to-day  who  make  faulty  flexions  succeed  only  in  ruining 
their  horses.  There  is  no  reason  for  stopping  when  one  has 
started  on  this  road.  Certain  authors  have  thought  it  right  to 
systematically  lower  the  neck,  than  which  there  is  no  better 
means  of  ruining  a  horse !  As  a  great  curiosity,  I  have 
shown  in  Figs.  9  and  10  two  illustrations  which  appeared 
in  recently  published  books,  and  which  show  the  lesson  of 
lowering  the  neck.  That  could  be  called  the  art  of  teaching 
a  horse  how  to  break  his  knees  ! 

This  explains  how  it  is  that  many  people  say  that  they 
have  made  their  horses  perform  flexions  without  any  good 
result,  a  fact  which  should  not  surprise  us.  As  we  have  just 
seen,  the  flexion  is  such  a  delicate  thing  that  an  incapable 
horseman  who  practises  it,  will  often  spoil  a  horse  instead 
of  improving  him.  If,  on  the  contrary,  the  reader  under- 
stands the  principles  and   practice  described  in  this  chapter, 


59 


Fig.  I o.- Lowering  the  head— a  faulty  practice. 


Y\cr.  1 1. —Direct  flexion  when  going  forward. 


6o  ORDINARY    RIDING. 

he  will  always  be  certain  to  obtain  by  flexion  the  benefits 
which  he  has  a  right  to  expect. 

To  thoroughly  explain  the  mechanism  of  flexion,  I  have 
been  obliged  to  suppose  that  the  horse  was  halted.  But 
I  must  explain,  contrary  to  what  is  everywhere  practised, 
that  I  begin  the  direct  flexion  while  going  forward.  With 
this  object,  I  place  myself  at  the  shoulder  of  the  horse, 
which  I  stimulate  by  a  click  of  the  tongue,  while  drawing 
him  forward  by  a  stronger  feeling  of  the  reins  of  the  snaffle 
(Fig.  ii).  Apart  from  this,  the  flexion  is  done  exactly  as 
I  have  indicated. 

When  I  have  obtained  a  certain  number  of  flexions  of 
the  jaw,  I  let  the  horse  walk  freely  beside  me  for  a  few 
moments,  and  I  carefully  avoid  prolonging  the  flexions, 
although  I  frequently  begin  them  again.  When  the 
horse  has  got  into  the  habit  of  readily  doing  the  direct 
flexion  at  the  first  indication  of  the  reins  by  relaxing  his 
jaw,  the  breaker  should  modify  his  method  in  order  to 
make  the  animal  assume  as  nearly  as  possible  the  conditions 
he  will  be  under  when  mounted.  This  will  be  a  new  form 
of  work. 

The  breaker,  always  in  the  same  position,  and  being  on 
the  near  side  of  the  horse,  holds  the  reins  of  the  curb  and 
snaffle  in  his  right  hand  at  about  six  inches  from  the  jaw. 
The  left  hand  holds  the  end  of  the  snaffle  reins  and  the 
cutting  whip,  the  point  of  which  he  keeps  on  a  level  with 
the  animal's  side.  Under  these  conditions,  at  the  moment 
when  the  right  hand  demands  the  direct  flexion,  the  whip 
performs  the  office  of  making  the  horse  go  forward,  as  before 
described  (Fig.  4). 

We  are  then  placed  under  the  same  conditions  as  when 
mounted.  No  longer,  as  was  recently  done,  the  forehand 
draws  forward  the  hind  quarters,  which  now  get  under  the 
body,  and    propel   the    forehand    on   the    head   held   by   the 


OBJECTS  OBTAINED  BY  DIRECT  FLEXION.     6i 

reins,*  i.e.,  by  the  hand  of  the  rider.  In  this  manner  the 
horse  learns  to  go  forward  without  leaning  on  the  bit,  and 
is  then  perfectly  light,  in  the  same  way  as  we  ought  to 
make  him  later  on  when  he  is  mounted.  The  work  which 
I  have  just  described  not  only  prepares  the  mouth  of  the 
horse  in  an  admirable  manner,  but  also  makes  the  hand  of 
the  rider  skilful.  There  is  no  doubt  that  it  is  easier  to  make 
the  jaw  supple  when  standing  still  than  during  movement ; 
but  there  is  the  risk  of  making  him  keep  behind  the  bit, 
which  inconvenience,  or  rather  danger,  is  avoided  when  going 
forward  (Fig.  4).  I  insist  on  this  point ;  because,  if  the  work 
of  loosening  the  jaw  during  movement  is  certainly  longer  and 
more  difficult,  it  guards  us  against  the  great  danger  of  putting 
the  horse  behind  the  bit,  which  is  always  the  inevitable  result 
of  the  first  flexions.     Therefore,  take  your  time  and  do  well. 

Although,  as  a  rule,  I  maintain  that  it  is  of  the  greatest 
importance  for  the  whole  of  this  work  to  be  done  when  going 
forward,  I  am  obliged  to  admit  that  it  would  be  impossible  or 
at  least  extremely  fatiguing  to  do  it  with  certain  horses  which 
throw  themselves  suddenly  on  the  hand,  or  which  have  their 
heads  too  low.  Personally,  I  have  never  found  these  faults 
carried  to  such  an  extent  that  I  have  been  unable  to  obtain 
direct  flexion  and  relaxation  of  the  jaw  while  going  forward. 

If  the  work  is  stationary,  we  should  take  the  utmost  care  to 
prevent,  at  all  hazards,  the  horse  from  getting  behind  his  bit 
If  he  reins  back  ever  so  little,  we  should  immediately  send 
him  forward  by  touching  him  on  the  side  with  the  whip,  while 
holding  the  end  of  the  snaffle  reins  in  the  left  hand  (Fig.  4). 
If  the  horse  stretches  out  his  hind  legs  behind,  or  his  fore  legs 

*  We  will  notice  in  Fig.  4  the  manner  in  which  the  right  hand  of  the 
breaker  holds  at  the  same  time  the  reins  of  the  snaffle  and  those  of  the  curb. 
The  former  are  held  between  the  thumb  and  closed  index  finger,  and  keep  the 
neck  high  by  their  upward  pull.  The  latter  are  held  more  or  less  horizontally, 
and  serve  to  loosen  the  jaw,  the  left  curb  rein  being  passed  between  the  middle 
finger  and  the  ring-finger ;  and  the  right,  underneath  the  little  finger. 


62  ORDINARY    RIDING. 

in  front,  he  is  also  behind  his  bit,  and  should  be  immediately 
sent  forward. 

A  horse  may  be  behind  his  bit  without  backing,  and  this 
may  happen  even  without  the  animal  moving  his  feet.  He 
will  have  this  tendency  if  a  perpendicular  dropped  from  the 
point  of  his  buttocks  comes  behind  his  hocks,  in  which  case 
the  weight  will  be  on  his  hind  quarters.  We  should  then  act 
energetically  on  the  snaffle,  in  order  to  bring  the  body  for- 
ward and  maintain  the  balance  of  the  body  during  flexion,  or 
to  avoid  a  return  of  the  tendency  to  get  behind  the  bit. 

After  this  preparation,  direct  flexion  becomes  easy  when 
mounted,  especially  as  the  action  of  the  legs  in  propelling  the 
horse  on  the  hand  is  more  energetic  and  effective  than  that  of 
the  whip. 

Here  the  chief  point  is  to  begin,  not  by  the  action  of  the 
hand,  but  by  that  of  the  legs,  which  ought  to  be  used 
progressively.  In  mounted  work,  as  in  flexion  on  foot,  it  is,  of 
course,  necessary  that  the  hand  makes  the  concession  at  the 
moment  when  the  horse  yields,  in  order  to  retake  its  action 
immediately  afterwards.  The  entire  practice  of  flexions  is 
comprised  in  timely  taking  and  giving.  It  is,  of  course, 
understood  that  the  legs  should  always  remain  close  to  the 
animal's  sides,  as  much  for  obtaining  a  definite  concession  of 
the  jaw  as  for  avoiding  the  tendency  to  get  behind  the  bit. 
It  is  also  taken  for  granted  that  the  flexion  should  never  be 
made  at  a  halt,  when  the  horse  is  mounted,  which  is  a  most 
objectionable  practice.  As  we  can  obtain  relaxation  of  the 
jaw  only  by  light  touches  of  the  spur,  the  horse  contracts  the 
habit  of  resting  on  the  spur  when  standing  still.  As  we  have 
then  no  means  of  making  him  go  forward,  or  of  preventing 
him  from  reining  back,  he  becomes  restive.*     This  result  is  all 

*  Baucher  made  the  mistake  of  practising  the  flexion  when  mounted  at  a  halt. 
He  naturally  proceeded  by  light  touches  of  the  spur.  Only  his  great  tact  saved 
him  from  making  his  horses  restive. 


OBJECTS  OBTAINED  BY  DIRECT  FLEXION.     63 

the  more  certain  when  the  horse  no  longer  dares  to  go  up  to 
his  bridle  when  moving  forward,  on  account  of  the  pre- 
ponderance which  the  hand  has  on  the  legs,  whenever  the 
animal  wants  to  advance. 


Fig.  12. — Baucher's  flexion  when  mounted. 

Finally,  the  work  of  making  the  horse  go  forward  consti- 
tutes the  great  difference  between  my  system  of  equitation 
and  that  of  Baucher. 

My  first  lesson  has  been  to  make  the  animal  go  forward. 

In  his  Dictionnaire  raisonnce  (V equitation  (1833),  page  112, 


64 


ORDINARY   RIDING. 


Baucher  writes  :  "  During  the  first  lessons  the  entire  half-hour 
should  be  occupied  in  stationary  work,  except  the  last  five 
minutes,  during  which  the  rein-back  will  be  practised." 
Twenty-five  minutes  of  stationary  work  and  five  minutes  of 
reining  back  is  a  deplorable  waste  of  time.     For  a  lesson  of 


Fig.  13. — Correct  flexion  when  mounted. 


half  an  hour's  duration  I  would  devote  thirty  minutes  to 
forward  work,  without  any  stationary  work  or  reining  back. 

We  shall  subsequently  see  that  this  difference  in  method  is 
found  in  all  the  work. 

Naturally,  Baucher's  flexion  is  as  incorrect  in  mounted 
work  as  iri  worl<  on  foot.  Fig,,  12,  which  is  borrowed  without 
any  change  from  his-  book,  enables  \is  to  judge  his  work  b}^ 
comparing  it  with  Fig.  13,  which  represents  correct  flexion. 


OBJECTS  OBTAINED  BY  DIRECT  FLEXION.    6$ 

Fig.  14,  which  is  taken  from  a  recent  work,,  shows  in  an 
exaggerated  form  all  the  faults  of  Baucher's  bad  flexion.  In 
it  the  head  is  low,  far  trom  the  centre  of  gravity  and  behind 
the    perpendicular ;    the    horse    has    all    his    weight    on    his 


Fig.  14. — Exaggerated  example  of  Baucher's  incorrect  flexion. 


shoulders,  and  is  ready  to  bring  his  chin  into  his  breast ;  the 
muscles  of  the  jaw  are  contracted,  and  the  action  of  the  curb 
is  in  a  downward  direction,  and  is  consequently  false.  This 
caricature  of  breaking  is  simply  perfect !  The  exact  opposite 
of  all  these  conditions  is  what  we  should  seek  to  obtain  from 
direct  flexion. 

'         5 


66  ORDINARY   RIDING. 

MAKING   A   HORSE   QUIET   TO    MOUNT. 

To  make  a  horse  quiet  to  mount,  we  must  adopt  a  method 
by  which  we  can  easily  stop  him  from  annoying  the  rider,  or 
preventing  him  from  getting  into  the  saddle.  Let  us  examine 
the  means  we  should  employ,  and  let  us  place  ourselves  in 
such  a  position  that  we  will  be  able  to  circumvent  any  defence 
which  his  instinct  or  bad  habits  may  prompt  him  to  make. 

The  vicious  or  restive  horse  rears,  lashes  out,  strikes  with 
his  near  forefoot,  or  cow-kicks  with  his  near  hind.  With  such 
an  animal  we  should  make  use  of  the  lunging  rein  and  driving 
whip,  and  make  a  feint  of  putting  a  foot  in  the  stirrup  while 
standing  close  to  the  near  shoulder.  If  he  rears,  we  can  hit 
him  thoroughly  with  the  lash  of  the  whip  across  his  buttocks. 
As  he  is  held  by  the  lunging  rein,  we  can  remain  sufficiently 
far  away  from  him  to  avoid  being  struck.  Every  time  he 
rears  we  should  begin  again  until  he  yields.  If  he  reins 
back,  we  should  employ  similar  methods.  If  he  kicks,  raise 
his  head  and  loudly  scold  him.  If  he  strikes  out  in  front,  cut 
him  with  the  driving  whip  on  the  offending  leg. 

Besides  horses  which  resist  in  this  manner,  there  are  others 
which  are  simply  timid,  nervous,  restless,  ticklish,  or  irritable, 
and  which  do  not  remain  as  quiet  as  they  ought  to  do, 
although  they  do  not  really  "show  fight."  What  will  they 
do?  They  will  perform  only  four  movements — namely,  go 
forward,  run  back,  shy  off  to  the  right  or  to  the  left,  against 
which  we  should  act  as  follows  : 

I  take  the  near  rein  of  the  snaffle  in  my  left  hand,  and  with 
the  same  hand  I  catch  hold  of  the  mane  at  about  the  middle  of 
the  neck  in  such  a  manner  that  there  is  a  slight  tension  on  the 
rein  which  I  hold.  I  pass  my  right  hand,  in  which  I  have  my 
cutting  whip,  over  the  neck,  seize  with  it  the  off  snaffle  rein, 
which  I  draw  up  only  slightly,  and  finally  take  hold  of  the 
pommel  of  the  saddle  with  the  right  hand  (Fig.  15). 


MAKING    A    HORSE   QUIET   TO    MOUNT.       67 

I  then  face  the  left  shoulder  of  the  horse.  If  he  runs  back, 
a  cut  on  the  croup  with  the  whip  will  bring  him  forward. 
This  can  be  repeated  twenty  or  thirty  times  till  he  yields. 
If  he  goes  forward,  I  bring  him  back  by  feeling  the  reins.  If 
he  shies  to  the  left,  I  draw  his  head  to  that  side,  and  conse- 
quently bring  his  hind  quarters  to  the  right.     Similarly,  if  he 


Fig.  15. — Proper  way  to  mount. 

shies  to  the  right,  I  draw  his  head  to  the  right,  so  as  to  make 
him  carry  his  hind  quarters  to  the  left. 

He  makes  his  defences,  when  the  rider  touches  the  stirrup 
with  his  foot,  when  he  puts  his  foot  into  the  stirrup,  or  when  he 
raises  himself  by  his  straightened  left  knee,  and  before  he  has 
passed  his  right  leg  over  the  saddle.  We  should  not  go  to 
the  second  or  third  of  these  movements  until  we  have  made 
the  horse  perfectly  steady  in  the  preceding  movement.  We 
should  not  place  ourselves  in  the  saddle  until  the  animal 
remains   steady  during  all   the  time  wc  are  standing  on  the 

5* 


68  ORDINARY    RIDING. 

near  stirrup  iron,  at  which  moment  it  often  happens  that 
the  horse  attempts  one  of  the  defences  already  described.  If 
the  movement  is  only  slight,  we  can  correct  it  by  the  action 
of  the  reins  without  changing  our  position.  If  it  is  violent, 
we  can  place  our  foot  on  the  ground  and  correct  him  with  the 
whip. 

Finally,  we  should  bear  in  mind  that  as  soon  as  we  are  in 
the  saddle,  we  should  have  the  snaffle  reins  in  their  respective 
hands,  and  we  should  hold  them  only  just  short  enough  to 
enable  us,  by  a  light  feeling  on  them,  to  steady  the  horse,  in 
the  event  of  his  "  playing  up." 

I  ought  to  admit  that  my  method  of  getting  into  the  saddle 
is  contrary  to  the  principles  which  are  generally  taught.  In 
fact,  it  is  always  laid  down  that  to  mount,  the  rider  ought  to 
take  both  reins  of  the  snaffle  and  a  lock  of  the  mane  near  the 
withers  in  his  left  hand  ;  place  the  right  hand  on  the  centre  of 
the  saddle,  raise  himself  on  the  stirrup,  and,  when  his  left  knee 
is  straight,  carry  his  right  hand  quickly  from  the  cantle  to  the 
pommel,  while  passing  his  right  leg  over  the  horse.  He  then 
sits  down.  By  this  system  the  rider  is  unable  to  counteract 
any  movement  made  by  the  horse.  Further,  at  the  moment 
when  the  right  hand  passes  from  the  cantle  to  the  pommel,  the 
equilibrium  of  the  rider  is  as  unstable  as  possible,  and  can  be 
upset  by  the  slightest  cause.  Precisely  on  account  of  this  want 
of  equilibrium,  the  rider  falls,  instead  of  sits,  down  on  the 
saddle,  and  by  falling  in  this  manner  he  can  unfortunately 
hurt  himself,  especially  on  the  pommel,  if  the  horse  makes  a 
single  step  to  the  rear. 

With  the  method  which  I  advocate,  the  rider  is  able  to  avoid 
any  accident,  to  stop  any  "playing  up,"  or  even  any  movement 
on  the  part  of  the  horse ;  because  he  holds  a  snaffle  rein  in 
each  hand. 

When  I  lunge  a  horse,  I  take  care  to  girth  him  with  a 
moderate  degree  of  tightness  before  putting  him   into  a  trot. 


MAKING   A    HORSE    QUIET    TO    MOUNT.       69 

And  as  lie  gets  a  bit  slack  from  trotting,  the  girths  do  not  in- 
convenience him  when  I  mount.  I  always  carry  out  this 
procedure  when  mounting  a  difficult  horse  for  the  first 
time. 

Grooms  are  in  the  habit  of  girthing  up  their  horses  very 
tightly,  and  it  would  be  contrary  to  a  knowledge  of  the  weak- 
nesses of  human  nature  to  think  that  they  would  give  up  this 
practice  on  the  very  day  when  I  try  to  succeed  at  what  they 
have  failed  to  do.  On  that  day  they  girth  up  more  tightly 
than  ever.  They  know  that  the  tighter  a  horse  is  girthed  up 
the  more  he  will  plunge,  and  therefore  they  feel  certain  that 
the)'  will  presently  have  the  innocent  pleasure  of  seeing  me 
chucked  over  the  ears  of  the  horse.  Nevertheless  I  encourage 
them  to  girth  up  more  tightly,  and  after  they  have  squeezed 
him  as  tightly  as  they  can  I  take  him  by  the  bridle,  walk  him 
about  for  a  few  minutes,  and  the  moment  before  putting  my 
foot  in  the  stirrup  I  let  out  the  girths  one  or  two  holes.  I  am 
then  in  the  saddle,  and  the  animal  gives  a  great  sigh  of 
relief,  which  for  the  moment  prevents  him  from  thinking  of 
pla)'ing  up. 

I  never  allow  my  horses  to  be  held  when  mounting  them. 
All  horses  become  quiet  if  not  held,  and  they  will  gain  confi- 
dence if  we  mount  and  dismount  several  times  consecutively, 
while  patting  them  on  the  neck.  We  ought  to  mount  as 
quietly  and  lightly  as  possible.  Above  all  things,  we  ought  to 
avoid  bustling  the  horse  when  starting  ;  because,  if  he  expects 
we  are  going  to  do  this,  he  will  never  stand  quietly  to  be 
mounted. 

I  never  require  anything  from  the  horse  which  I  mount  for 
the  first  time.  I  am  content  if  he  walks  straight  on.  I  keep 
the  reins  separated,  I  feel  only  those  of  the  snaffle,  and  I  never 
touch  the  horse  with  the  spurs  for  the  first  few  lessons.  I 
ride  him  a  few  times  round  the  school  to  the  right  and  to 
the  left,  while  leaving  him  as  free  as  possible,  supposing,  of 


yo  ORDINARY   RIDING. 

course,  that  he  does  not  play  up,  which  he  will  very  rarely  do 
if  I  require  almost  nothing  from  him. 

If  he  carries  his  head  too  low,  I  try  to  raise  it  by  almost 
imperceptible  touches  on  the  snaffle  reins,  which  I  draw 
upwards,  and  not  from  front  to  rear.  If  he  holds  his  head  too 
high,  I  feel  the  curb  reins  very  lightly,  and  in  such  a  way  as 
not  to  stop  his  forward  movement.  If  he  stops  on  account  of 
the  action  of  the  curb,  I  let  the  reins  loose  and  apply  my  legs 
behind  the  girths.  In  this  case  the  legs  have  an  effect  similar 
to  that  of  the  cutting  whip  during  work  on  foot.  I  keep  on  at 
the  horse  until  I  have  obtained  forward  movement,  which  is 
the  great  end  that  has  to  be  obtained  at  any  price. 

Having  obtained  this  forward  movement,  I  prolong  it,  as  I 
have  said,  for  a  few  turns  round  the  school,  while  trying  to  get 
the  head  into  a  good  position  ;  but  I  work  very  lightly,  and 
always  in  such  a  manner  as  not  to  stop  the  horse.  If  I  obtain 
only  a  little  play  in  the  mouth,  I  get  off,  and  make  a  few 
flexions  on  foot  until  he  obeys.  I  then  give  him  some  carrots 
and  send  him  to  the  stable. 

Carrots  ought  always  be  cut  lengthwise  and  never  across^ 
in  which  case  they  might  stick  in  the  animal's  throat.  I  have 
seen  a  horse  almost  choked  by  swallowing  carrots  cut  across. 
I  do  not  give  sugar  to  a  horse,  because  if  he  is  bridled  and  plays 
with  his  bit,  it  will  produce  a  foam  that  will  soil  one's  clothes, 
which  is  the  smallest  objection.  A  more  serious  one  is  that 
sugar  given  in  the  stable  predisposes  a  horse  to  crib-bite. 
He  begins  by  licking  his  manger,  and,  finding  the  taste 
agreeable,  he  finishes  b)-  persistently  biting  it,  which  is  a 
habit  that  will  often  make  him  crib-bite  or  wind-suck. 

In  this  mounted  lesson,  I  have  asked  the  horse  only  to  go 
forward,  while  making  him  lightly  work  his  jaw.  Further,  as  a 
general  rule,  we  should  not  demand  from  him  several  things  at  a 
time, because  he  will  be  apt  to  confuse  them,  and  we  may  mistake 
for  disobedience  a  simple  want  of  comprehension  on  his  part. 


Off  snaffle  rein 


tnd  of 
curb  reins 


Fig.  i6. — Equal  tension  on  all  four  reins. 


Curb  ' 
reins 

Fig.  17. — Action  of  the  curb;  little  finger  brought  towards  the  body. 


Curb  rem.b 


Off  snaffle  rein 


Curb  reins 


Snaffle 
reins 


Fig.  18. — Action  of  the  snatTle  ;  thumb  brought  towards  the  body. 


72  ORDINARY   RIDING. 

HOW   TO    HOLD   THE    REINS. 

There  are  three  orthodox  ways  for  holding  the  reins, 
namely,  the  English,  German,  and  Frencli.  I  do  not  hesitate 
to  say  that  the  French  way  is  the  best. 

As  the  snaffle  is  higher  in  the  mouth  than  the  curb,  its 
principal  action  is  to  raise  the  head  of  the  horse,  and  that  of 
the  curb  to  lower  it.  In  other  words,  the  snaffle  is  an 
elevator  ;  the  curb,  a  depressor.  Therefore,  the  reins  should 
occupy  the  same  respective  positions  in  the  hand,  as  the 
snaffle  and  curb  do  in  the  mouth,  namely,  the  snaffle  reins 
should  be  above  the  curb  reins. 

Contrary  to  this  very  simple  principle,  the  English  place 
both  reins  at  the  same  height  in  the  hand  and  hold  one  rein 
between  each  finger.  The  Germans  act  in  a  still  more  con- 
trary way  to  the  principle  in  question,  by  holding  the  snaffle 
reins  below  the  curb  reins,  supposing  that  the  hand  is  in 
a  vertical  position.  It  appears  that  the  Germans  have  even 
less  common  sense  than  the  English. 

Reason  tells  us  that  the  reins  should  be  held  in  the  French 
manner  ;*  the  hand  vertical,  the  left  curb  rein  under  the  little 
finger  of  the  left  hand  ;  the  right  rein  between  the  ring  finger 
and  the  middle  finger,  while  their  ends  pass  between  the 
thumb  and  index  finger.  The  two  reins  of  the  snaffle  are 
joined  in  the  same  hand,  and  taken  between  the  thumb  and 
index  finger  (Fig.  i6).  With  the  reins  held  in  this  manner 
and  without  displacing  the  hand,  we  are  able,  by  the  mere 
play  of  the  wrist,  to  obtain  the  movements  which  are  indis- 
pensable for  acting  on  the  mouth  ;  supposing,  of  course,  that 
the  animal  is  broken. 

1st.  The  hand  placed  in  position  exerts  an  equal  tension 
on  all  four  reins  (Fig.  i6). 

•  Is  it  not  strange  that  in  the  French  army  the  (icrnian  metliod  of  holding  the 
reins  is  adt)ptecl,  namely,  the  snaffle  rein  under  the  curb  rein  ? 


73 


Fig.  19.— Action  of  off  curb  rein  ;  knuckles  lowered. 
Curb  reins 


Off  curb  rei 

Curb  reins 


Snaffle  reins 


Fig.  20. — Action  of  near  curb  rein  ;  knuckles  raised. 

Off  snsffle  rein 


Near  curb  rem 


End  of   yi 
snaffle  reins 


fnd  0/  curb  re/ns 
Fig.  21. — Separating  the  curb  and  snaffle  reins. 


74  ORDINARY   RIDING. 

2nd.  Action  of  the  curb  ;  the  httle  finger  brought  towards- 
the  body  (Fig.  17). 

3rd.  Action  of  the  snaffle ;  the  thumb  brought  towards 
the  body  (Fig.  18). 

4th.  Action  of  the  off  curb  rein  ;  the  knuckles  lowered 
(Fig.   19). 

5  th.  Action  of  the  near  curb  rein  ;  the  knuckles  raised 
(Fig.  20). 

We  can  obtain  all  the  necessary  effects  on  the  mouth  of  the 
horse  by  the  rotation  of  the  wrist  from  rear  to  front  (Fig.  17) ; 
from  front  to  rear  (Fig.  18)  ;  from  left  to  right,  i.e.,  prona- 
tion (Fig.  19)  ;  and  from  right  to  left,  i.e.,  supination  (Fig.  20). 

When  the  reins  are  held  in  this  manner,  they  are  kept 
apart  as  far  as  possible,  supposing  that  they  are  in  one  hand. 
The  effect  obtained  is  almost  similar  to  that  which  would  be 
produced  if  the  reins  of  the  curb  were  held  in  the  left  hand 
and  the  snaffle  reins  in  the  right  hand,  a  little  above  them. 
We  can  easily,  if  required,  use  both  hands  ;  because  the  right 
hand  can  take  up  the  snaffle  reins  or  put  them  back  into  the 
left  hand  without  disarranging  or  even  touching  the  curb 
reins  (Fig.  21). 

Finally,  if  we  wish  to  have  all  four  reins  separated,  namely, 
the  near  ones  of  the  curb  and  snaffle  in  the  left  hand,  and  the 
off  ones  in  the  right  hand  (which  is  often  necessary),  we  have 
only  to  take  the  off  reins  in  the  position  in  which  they  are,  by 
placing  the  right  hand  between  the  reins  of  the  curb  and 
those  of  the  snaffle  in  such  a  manner  that  the  off  rein  of  the 
curb  will  come  under  the  little  finger  of  the  right  hand,  and 
the  off  rein  of  the  snaffle  between  the  thumb  and  index  finger 
of  the  same  hand,  in  exactly  the  same  position  as  the  reins 
are  in  the  left  hand.*     We  thus  keep  in  the  two  hands  the 

*Fig.  22  shows  the  right  hand  being  passed  between  the  off  rein  of  the  curb 
and  the  off  rein  of  the  snaffle,  and  Fig.  23  shows  the  right  hand  being  closed 
on  these  two  reins.     Fig.  24  shows  the  reins  separated. 


75 


bnaffle  reins 
Curb  reins 


rem 
Curb  reins 

Fig.  22. — Passing  the  right  hand  between  the  off  curb  rein  and  off  snaffle  rein. 


Near  snaffle  rein  remaininQ  m  the  left 
_     hand 


r>  Off  snaffle  rem  held  by  tfie 


'la  oy  me 
right  hand 


r  curb  rem  remaining  iri 
tn'e  fe\i  tiand 


Off  curb  rein  tal<en  by  the 
right  hand 

Snaffle  reins  I*      ///     '^    ^""^^  '^elns 
Fig.  23. — Closing  the  right  hand  on  the  off  curb  rein  and  on  the  off  snaffle  rein^ 


f^ear  snaffle  rem 


Snaffle  reins 

Fig.  24. — Separating  the  rein: 


Off  curb  rein 
Curb  reins 


^6  ORDINARY   RIDING. 

same  distance    between   the  reins  of  the  curb  and    those  of 
the  snaffle  as  determined  by  the  httle  finger  and  thumb. 

By  an  inverse  movement,  we  can  replace  the  four  reins  in 
the  left  hand,  in  the  position  which  they  previously  occupied. 
I  need  hardly  add  that,  until  the  breaking  of  the  horse  is 
fairly  well  advanced,  we  do  not  draw  up  all  four  reins,  which 
would  consequently  tend  to  combine  and  sometimes  even  to 
■confuse  their  effects.  When  we  have  to  deal  with  a  green  or 
insufficiently  broken  horse,  in  which  case  we  may  require  to 
produce  very  quickly  precise  and  particularly  decisive  effects, 
it  is  well  to  separate  the  reins. 

TEACHING   A   HORSE   BY   THE    WHIP   TO   OBEY   LEGS 
AND   SPURS. 

I  invariably  begin  my  lesson  by  repeating  the  former  exer- 
cises, but  every  day  I  require  something  new  from  the  horse. 

As  soon  as  the  horse  goes  freely  in  every  direction  with  a 
slight  play  of  the  jaw,  I  teach  him  to  obey  the  leg  and  then 
the  spur.  This  work  should  be  done  on  foot  and  by  means 
of  the  cutting  whip. 

While  facing  the  horse,  I  take  the  snaffle  in  the  left  hand* 
close  to  the  mouth  so  as  to  hold  the  head  high.  With  the 
whip,  which  I  hold  in  my  right  hand,  I  touch  the  horse  very 
lightly  just  behind  the  girths,  at  the  place  where  the  spur  will 
act,  and  at  the  same  time  I  carry  his  head  to  the  left.-f*  The 
horse  should  thereupon  carry  his  haunches  to  the  right.  He 
will  show  that  he  obeys  by  taking  one  or  two  steps  in  that 

*  The  buckle  of  the  bridoon  rein  ought  to  remair.  in  the  left  hand  during  all 
the  work  on  foot. 

t  This  is  what  is  termed  lateral  effects,  because  the  effect  on  the  forehand  and 
that  on  the  hind  quarters  are  produced  on  the  same  side.  In  diagonal  equitation, 
which  is  rational  equitation  and  the  consequence  of  good  breaking,  the  effect  on 
the  forehand  is  always  on  the  side  opposite  to  that  on  the  hindquarters.  It  is 
the  only  way  to  secure  the  movements  in  their  entirety. 


TEACHING   A    HORSE    BY   THE    WHIP.         77 

direction.  I  then  stop  him  and  pat  him  on  the  neck.  If,  on 
the  contrary,  he  strikes  out  in  front  or  kicks,  on  account  of 
being  touched  by  the  whip,  I  rate  him  loudly  and  hold  his 
head  very  high,  which  will  oblige  him  to  lower  his  croup. 

It  is  of  the  greatest  possible  consequence  that  the  patting 
on  the  neck  should  immediately  follow  the  act  of  obedience 
on  the  part  of  the  horse,  in  the  same  way  as  punishment 
should  follow  disobedience.  This  is  the  fundamental  principle 
of  breaking. 

If  the  horse  throws  himself  on  the  whip,  that  is  to  say,  to 
the  left,  which  ticklish  horses  are  inclined  to  do,  we  must 
carry  his  head  forcibly  to  the  left,  so  as  to  bring  his  hind 
quarters  to  the  right  ;  but  should  not  punish  the  animal, 
because,  as  I  have  already  pointed  out,  his  action  is  instinc- 
tive. When  we  have  put  him  several  times  through  this 
work,  which  does  not  fatigue  or  trouble  him,  he  readily  yields, 
and  does  it  on  both  sides.  I  recommend  the  breaker  to  be 
content  with  two  or  three  steps.  He  should  stop  and  pat  the 
horse  on  the  neck  each  time  the  animal  obeys.  I  recommence 
this  work  very  often. 

When  the  horse  readily  yields  to  the  whip  on  both  sides, 
we  should  not  turn  his  head  to  the  side  opposite  to  that 
towards  which  he  turns  his  hind  quarters.  He  should  be  kept 
straight,  so  that  he  may  obey  only  the  indication  of  the  whip. 

This  work  with  the  whip  prepares  the  horse  to  bear  and 
understand  the  action  of  the  leg  and  spur.  At  the  same  time, 
it  places  the  head  in  a  good  position,  and  it  is  an  excellent 
and  indispensable  suppling  exercise  before  coming  to  the 
lateral  flexions  which  we  will  presently  consider. 

Baucher  practised  the  lateral  flexions  before  teaching  the 
horse  to  yield  his  hind  quarters  to  the  whip.  This  method  is 
wrong,  because,  when  we  begin  the  lateral  flexions,  the 
instinct  of  the  horse  makes  him  carry  his  hind  quarters  to  the 
side  opposite  to  that  towards  which  we  bend  the  neck.     If  we 


78  ORDINARY    RIDING. 

have  not  taught  obedience  to  the  whip,  how  can  we  straighten 
the  hind  quarters  ? 

HORSE    MOUNTED — FIRST   DEFENCES — MEANS   FOR 
OVERCOMING   THEM. 

In  the  preceding  chapter  I  have  taken  for  granted  that 
when  I  am  mounted,  the  horse  will  go  forward,  if  I  want  him 
to  do  so.  As  the  animal  will  not  always  be  obedient,  it  is 
well  to  be  forearmed  against  any  probable  or  even  possible 
resistance  which  he  may  make.  It  is  therefore  necessary  to 
keep  the  legs  close  to  his  sides,  in  order  to  avoid  being  taken 
off  our  guard  by  an  abrupt  movement,  and,  above  all,  to  lean 
the  body  well  back,  so  as  to  put  the  weight  on  our  seat.  We 
are  then  ready  for  anything  that  may  happen. 

If  the  horse  tries  to  buck,  we  should  press  him  forward  with 
the  legs  and  hold  his  head  high.  It  is  not  hard  to  sit  a  for- 
ward plunge  when  the  head  is  kept  high.*  But  the  rider  is 
easily  displaced  if  the  horse  bucks  without  going  forward, 
places  his  head  between  his  fore  legs,  and  arches  his  back.  In 
this  case,  as  the  rider  is  not  able  to  make  the  horse  go  for- 
ward, he  should  turn  him  to  the  right  or  left  by  means  of  the 
snaffle.  Each  time  he  tries  to  stop  by  lowering  his  head,  he 
should  be  turned  afresh  ;  but  it  is  not  necessary  to  insist  on 
turning  him  more  to  one  side  than  to  the  other  side. 

All  horses  have  a  soft  and  a  hard  side  to  their  mouths.  At 
first,  if  the  horse  resists  when  we  try  to  turn  him  to  the  right, 
we  should  content  ourselves  by  trying  to  turn  him  to  the  left. 
The  great  thing  is  to  prevent  him  from  bucking  without  going 
forward,  his  bucks  being  made  in  order  to  get  rid  of  his 
rider. 

Later  on,  when  the  horse  has  made  some  progress  in  his 

*  Bucking  without  going  forward  is  the  most  difficult  of  all  movements  to  sit. 
If  the  horse  cannot  be  made  to  go  on  and  if  he  continues  to  buck  without 
advancing,  it  will  be  impossible  to  sit  him. 


HORSE   MOUNTED— FIRST    DEFENCES.         79 

breaking,  it  would  be  evidently  wrong  to  let  him  turn  to  the 
right,  if  we  wanted  him  to  go  to  the  left ;  but  at  present  we 
should  consider  only  his  acts  of  resistance.  It  is  certainly  a 
great  point  gained  to  be  able  to  prove  to  him  that  he  cannot 
get  us  out  of  the  saddle.  If  he  succeeds  in  doing  this,  we 
ma\'  be  certain  he  will  continue  to  try  on  the  same  form  of 
defence. 

The  danger  of  at  first  requiring  the  horse  to  turn  to  which- 
ever side  we  wish,  consists  in  the  fact  that  by  doing  this  we 
run  the  risk  of  prompting  the  animal  to  add  a  second  act  of 
resistance  to  the  first  one.  In  fact,  when  we  wish  to  turn  the 
horse  to  the  left,  for  instance,  we  are  obliged  to  take  a  strong 
pull  on  the  left  rein,  and  may  thus  make  him  pointe  (half 
rear)  or  rear*  by  throwing  too  much  weight  on  his  hind 
quarters. 

The  pointe  or  lancade  is  a  forward  spring  in  which  the 
forehand  is  kept  higher  than  the  croup.  Like  all  other 
forward  movements,  it  is  not  dangerous,  because  its  displacing 
effect  is  not  great.-}-  The  movements  of  the  loins  and  croup 
are,  however,  very  disconcerting  to  the  rider.  When  the 
horse  rears,  he  stands  up  on  his  hind  legs,  which  he  keeps 
fixed  on  the  ground.  This  is  a  very  dangerous  form  of 
resistance  and  may  cause  the  animal  to  fall  backwards. 

In  my  youth,  when  my  horse  reared,  I  used  to  put  both  arms 

*  We  may  succeed  in  preventing  the  rear  or  the  '■'■pointe  "  by  the  vigorous  use 
of  the  spurs.  But  to  do  so,  we  should  seize  with  precision  the  fleeting  moment 
when  the  horse  holds  himself  back  and  is  about  to  throw  his  weight  on  his  hind 
quarters.  If  the  spurs  are  driven  in  at  this  moment,  they  will  send  him  forward 
in  a  disordered  manner,  no  doubt ;  but  that  does  not  matter,  because  they  will 
have  prevented  him  from  fixing  his  hind  legs  on  the  ground.  If  the  rider  allows 
this  critical  moment  to  pass,  the  use  of  the  spurs  will  be  dangerous,  because  it 
will  still  further  prompt  the  animal  to  rear. 

t  In  the  half-rear  the  rider  ought  to  bring  his  body  forward,  keep  his  legs 
close  to  the  animal's  sides,  hold  his  hands  low,  and  leave  the  reins  slack 
(Fig.  65).  In  this  illustration,  the  off  reins  are  lightly  felt  because  I  was  try- 
ing to  make  the  horse  canter  to  the  right  on  three  legs.  We  can  see  that  the  near 
snaffle  rein  is  quite  loose. 


8o  ORDINARY   RIDING. 

round  his  neck  and  bring  my  head  to  the  right ;  consequently,, 
the  horse's  head  was  against  my  left  shoulder.  I  subsequently 
saw  the  inconvenience  of  this  position,  in  which  one  is  too  far 
forward  on  his  neck  when  he  brings  his  fore  legs  down  on  the 
ground.  And  as  we  are  then  obliged  to  give  him  his  head, 
he  is  at  liberty  to  send  us  over  his  ears  by  a  strong  kick  with 
both  hind  legs,  or  to  give  us  a  blow  in  the  face  or  chest  with 
his  head,  in  the  event  of  his  throwing  it  up. 

From  a  very  long  experience  I  have  found  the  following  to 
be  the  best  means  of  avoiding  accidents  which  may  happen 
from  rearing.  Separate  the  reins — as  one  should  always  do, 
when  a  horse  rears — and  take  hold  of  the  mane  in  the  left 
hand  at  about  the  middle  of  the  neck.  When  the  horse 
stands  up  on  end,  bring  the  body  well  forward  by  the  left 
arm  ;  and  when  he  comes  down  again,  push  the  body  back 
into  its  place  by  quickly  straightening  that  arm.  If  the 
animal  makes  another  attempt  at  rearing,  again  bring  the 
body  forward,  again  push  it  back  ;  and  so  on,  until  he  ceases  to 
rear.  From  the  moment  we  stop  trying  to  make  the  horse  go 
forward,  we  are  able  by  this  means  to  put  up  with  the  horse's 
rearing  for  any  length  of  time  without  difficulty.  If  he  kicks, 
our  straightened-out  arm  will  act  as  a  prop,  and  if  he  springs 
to  the  right  about  or  left  about,  it  will  furnish  a  support  which 
will  keep  us  in  the  saddle,  and  will  enable  us  to  avoid  hanging 
on  to  the  reins,  which  is  the  usual  cause  of  accidents.  I  feel 
certain  that  the  foregoing  position  is  the  best  for  keeping  the 
rider  in  the  saddle,  when  a  horse  rears,  or,  rather,  it  is  the 
least  bad,  because  the  position  of  the  rider  is  never  good  in 
such  a  case. 

I  havej^had  good  luck  with  regard  to  rearing  ;  for  although 
I  have  ridden  a  great  number  of  rearers,  none  of  them  has 
upset  me. 

I  do  not  believe  that  horses  voluntarily  throw  themselves 
backwards.     As    far   as    I    can    see,    they    simply    lose   their 


HORSE   MOUNTED— FIRST    DEFENCES.         8i 

balance.  Usually  the  following  happens :  The  horse  by 
suddenly  getting  up,  causes  the  body  of  the  rider  to  go  back- 
wards, which  is  sufficient  to  upset  the  animal.  When  a  horse 
is  standing  up  on  his  hind  legs,  he  may  be  compared  to  the 
centre  rod  of  a  pair  of  scales  which  is  in  equilibrium  ;  and  then 
the  slightest  movement  of  the  body  of  the  rider,  whether 
forward  or  backward,  forcibly  draws  the  horse  in  the  former 
direction  or  in  the  latter. 

I  have  said  that  I  do  not  believe  that  horses  voluntarily 
throw  themselves  backwards.  I  mean  that  a  horse  will  not 
deliberately  throw  himself  backwards  as  a  means  of  resist- 
ance. His  instinct  of  self-preservation  will  be  sufficient  to 
prevent  him  doing  this.  But  I  know  that  horses  which  are 
suffering  from  disease  of  certain  nervous  centres  fall  back- 
wards, and  sometimes  dash  their  head  against  a  wall. 
Here  we  have  no  concern  with  animals  which  are  affected 
by  a  disease  similar  to  madness  in  man,  and  which  are 
unsuitable  for  any  kind  of  work. 

I  have,  however,  broken,  and  seen  broken  by  other  breakers, 
horses  which  had  immobility  or  megrims.  But  they  were  only 
violent  and  irritable,  and  their  eyes  became  injected  with 
blood  if  upset  in  the  slightest.  In  fact,  they  had  only  the 
appearance  of  megrims.  To  succeed  with  such  animals,  we 
require  to  have  all  the  good  qualities  of  a  breaker  and  rider, 
especially  pluck. 

Some  horses  which  are  affected  with  only  a  certain  degree 
of  immobilite  can  be  broken.  Gaulois,  which  was  a  superb 
Hanoverian  horse,  was  supposed  to  suffer  from  this  disease. 
I  made  him  into  an  excellent  school  horse,  and  rode  him  for 
several  years.  It  is  true  that  Gaulois,  like  many  other  horses 
which  are  reputed  to  have  iminobihti,  showed  symptoms  of  it 
only  when  he  "  played  up." 

I  am  greatly  surprised  that  very  few  of  all  the  authors  who 
have  written  on  equitation  say  nothing  of  the  struggles  which 


82  ORDINARY    RIDING. 

one  always  has  with  horses  to  a  lesser  or  greater  extent.  To 
believe  many  of  them,  the  breaker  is  on  a  bed  of  roses,  and  if 
he  will  use  only  their  methods,  he  will  be  certain  to  make  the 
horse  obey.  What  is  the  reason  of  this  silence  on  their  part  ? 
Are  they  afraid  to  frighten  their  readers,  or  do  they  wish  to 
make  them  believe  that  there  are  no  struggles  ?  I  cannot 
say  ;  but  in  any  case  it  seems  to  me  preferable  to  speak  the 
whole  truth,  and  to  forewarn  my  readers  of  the  accidents  that 
may  happen  during  breaking,  so  that  they  may  not  be 
surprised  if  the  animal  does  not  immediately  submit  to  every 
demand. 

I  have  seen  a  great  number  of  good  breakers  at  work,  and 
they  all  had  battles  to  fight  ;  Baucher  more  than  any  of  the 
others,  because  he  required  more. 

The  true  talent  of  the  breaker  consists  in  making  himself 
master  of  the  horse,  especially  in  the  event  of  a  fight,  by 
suppling  him,  and  by  the  employment  of  a  rational  method  of 
breaking ;  because  we  must  not  forget  that  the  horse  always 
struggles  against  his  rider,  more  or  less  openly,  until  his 
education  is  complete. 

But  we  do  not  arrive  at  this  result  without  more  or  less 
violent  struggles.  Those  who  have  not  had  experience  of 
these  battles,  upon  the  result  of  which  depends  the  submission 
of  the  horse,  begin  by  provoking  the  animal  to  resistance,  but 
they  do  not  dare  to  continue  the  attack.  In  this  case  the 
horse  quickly  understands  that  he  is  master.  He  will  renew, 
as  often  as  he  likes,  the  form  of  defence  which  has  served 
his  purpose,  and  thanks  to  which  he  is  certain  to  have  the 
last  word.     This  is  the  way  to  spoil  the  breaking. 

My  practice  is  altogether  different.  The  moment  the  horse 
shows  fight  I  shake  hiin  up  vigorously,  but  rationally.*  We 
should    not    tickle    the  horse   with    the   spur,   which    would 

*  To  stop  a  horse  "  playing  up,"  lean  Imck  and  lower  the  hands.  Raising  the 
hands,  which  will  also  raise  the  centre  of  gravity,  will  be  certain  to  cause  a  fall. 


c* 


HORSE    MOUNTED— FIRST   DEFENCES.         83 

only  aggravate  the  animal's  resistance.  On  the  contrary,  our 
attack  on  him  .should  be  somewhat  brutal,  so  that  he  rfia)^ 
immediately  feel  that  his  strength  must  )'ield  to  superior 
force.  Here  the  real  difficulty  is  to  have  the  pluck  to  attack 
vigorously.  Very  few  people  make  up  their  minds  to  do  this, 
in  which  is  the  only  means  of  security  ;  because  the  horse, 
astonished  at  the  brutality  of  the  attack,  will  submit,  although, 
if  lightly  tickled  with  the  spur,  he  will  increase  his  resist- 
ance, and  will  soon  get  the  best  of  his  rider. 

It  is  evident  that  whereas  the  attack  should  be  vigorous,  it 
should  be  made  in  as  rational  a  way  as  practicable,  that  is  to 
say,  in  a  manner  which  will  overcome  the  horse's  defence  by 
"  oppositions."*  But,  I  repeat,  the  chief  thing  above  all 
others  is  the  vigour,  the  energy  of  the  rider.  As  regards 
myself,  once  in  the  struggle,  I  pay  little  heed  to  lateral  or 
•diagonal  equitation.  I  don't  care  if  I  increase  the  commo- 
tion ;  my  great  point  is  to  be  master,  and  to  make  the  horse  ^ 
understand  that  his  defence  is  in  vain.  To  achieve  this  grand  ' 
result,  when  a  horse  contents  himself  by  merely  indicating  a 
resistance,  I  do  not  hesitate  to  provoke  him  to  carry  it  out 
fully,  so  as  to  bring  him  to  reason.  Here  is  the  true  secret 
•of  breaking,  namely,  to  obtain  the  absolute  submission  of  the 
horse.  A  horse's  breaking  is  not  definitely  completed  if  he 
has  made  no  show  of  resistance,  because  there  may  be 
struggles  for  supremacy  in  the  future.  The  object  of  breaking 
is  the  destruction  of  the  free  will  of  the  horse.  As  long  as  a 
breaker  hesitates  to  provoke  struggles  which  he  feels  are 
close  at  hand,  and  which  he  knows  are  inevitable,  his  breaking 
is  not  complete. 

We   must  also  say,  in  a  general  wa}',  that  the  tact  of  the 

*  To  make  an  "  opposition  "  is  to  do  an  action  contrary  to  that  which  the  horse 
wishes  to  do.  We  succeed  in  this  simply  by  combining  the  "aids,"  so  as  to 
oppose  the  forehand  to  the  hind  quarters,  or  the  hind  quarters  to  the  forehand, 
namely,  to  carry  one  of  them  to  one  side,  in  order  to  throw  the  other  on  the 
opposite  side 

6* 


84  ORDINARY    RIDING. 

breaker  ought  to  consist,  throughout  the  whole  course  of 
breaking,  in  discovering  the  defences  which  the  horse  is 
preparing,  and  in  anticipating  and  counteracting  them  before 
they  are  made.  This  is  more  especially  necessary  in  the 
properly-called  defences  of  the  horse,  which  are  not  always 
produced  in  the  form  of  violent  or  unruly  movements.  It 
constantly  happens  during  breaking,  that  the  horse,  in  order  to 
refuse  to  do  what  is  asked  of  him,  obstinately  does  what  he 
was  previously  taught.  This  is  the  history  of  every  lesson. 
During  all  the  breaking,  the  defences  of  the  horse  are  pro- 
duced alternately  to  the  right  and  left.  When,  by  the  force 
of  insistence,  we  have  rendered  one  side  supple,  w^e  may  be 
greatly  astonished  to  see  the  horse  use,  as  a  defence,  what  we 
have  just  taught  him  with  much  trouble,  and  to  refuse  to  do 
that  which  he  did  without  any  hesitation  the  day  before.  In 
this  case  we  must  recommence  the  work  and  carry  it  on  until 
obedience  is  equally  obtained  on  both  sides.  If  there  is  a 
difficulty  in  making  such  a  horse  canter  with,  for  example^ 
the  near  fore  leading,  as  soon  as  we  make  him  do  so,  we  will 
find  that  in  every  case  he  canters  with  that  fore-leg  leading, 
and  refuses  to  lead  with  the  off  fore.  In  order  to  make  him 
canter  with  the  off  fore  leading,  we  must  begin  over  again  all 
the  work  we  did  in  teaching  him  to  canter  with  the  near  fore 
leading,  and  alternate  these  two  forms  of  canter,  while  making 
him  do  the  canter  in  which  there  is  greater  difficulty,  more 
frequently  than  the  other  kind  of  canter.  We  should  con- 
tinue in  this  way  until  obedience  is  perfect  on  both  sides. 

When  a  horse  makes  a  defence  always  on  the  same  side,  we 
may  be  sure  that  he  does  so  on  account  of  pain  or  of  faulty 
conformation. 

Later  on,  when  the  breaking  is  more  advanced,  we  shall  see 
the  horse  use,  for  example,  the  Spanish  trot  as  a  defence 
against  doing  the  passage  or  the  piaffcr.  In  every  case  he 
will  try  a  less  energetic  work,  in  order  to  escape  from  a  more 


TO    HALT    AND    STAND    STILL.  85 

fatifruinsr    one.      The   ruses   of    a    horse   are   infinite.      The 
breaker  has  to  checkmate  them  b}-  tact,  art  and  energy. 

THE   WALK. 

It  is  most  important  that  a  horse  should  walk  with  long, 
regular  and  free  steps,  which  can  be  obtained  only  by 
allowing  the  animal  great  liberty  of  head  and  neck.  If  the 
horse  is  lazy  or  dull,  he  should  be  made  to  go  on,  by  closing 
the  legs.  If  he  is  impetuous,  impatient,  or  fidgety,  he  should 
be  patted  on  the  neck  and  encouraged  by  the  voice.  He 
should  be  at  once  stopped  if  he  begins  to  trot.  No  mistake 
should  be  made  between  the  trot  and  jog,  which  are  entirely 
different  paces.  Jogging,  which  is  often  adopted  by  the 
horse,  is  very  difficult  to  correct  when  it  has  become  a  habit. 
It  spoils  the  long  striding  walk,  and  is  very  fatiguing  to  the 
rider.  Keeping  the  horse  in  hand  shortens  the  steps  of  the 
walk,  which  become  higher  and  shorter,  according  as  the  neck 
is  raised  and  the  head  is  brought  into  a  vertical  position.  The 
same  thing  occurs  in  the  trot  and  canter.  The  well-collected 
horse  is  handsome,  but  he  does  not  cover  much  ground. 

TO    HALT   AND    STAND    STH.L. 

It  is  absolutel)'  necessary  to  be  able  to  stop  the  horse  when 
one  wishes.  As  a  rule,  the  halt  ought  to  be  made  pro- 
gressively and  not  abruptly.  It  can  be  made  at  any  pace, 
and  often  even  in  cases  when  a  sudden  halt  is  indispensable. 

The  means  for  stopping  the  horse  is  always  the  same — 
namely,  raise  the  snaffle  reins  while  drawing  them  back  with 
an  equal  feeling  on  both  reins,  so  as  to  bring  the  weight  on 
the  hind  quarters  ;  at  the  same  time,  close  both  legs  strongly 
to  bring  the  hocks  under  the  animal's  body,  and  feel  the  curb 
reins.     The  horse  is  then  between  the  hands  and  legs. 

I  cannot  say  that  these  three  movements  should  be  abso- 
lutely simultaneous.     They  certainly  come  one  after  another, 


86  ORDINARY   RIDING. 

but  so  closely  together  that  the  intervals  are  imperceptible. 
Anyhow,  they  ought  to  be  executed  in  the  order  I  have  indi- 
cated. If,  for  instance,  the  movement  of  the  legs  precedes  ever 
so  little  that  of  the  snaffle,  the  effect  will  be  to  make  the  horse 
go  forward,  which  will  be  the  opposite  to  what  is  wanted. 

This  method  of  stopping  the  horse  is  the  best  and  should 
be  the  only  one  used.  The  halt  should  be  made  without  con- 
cussion. It  is  then  painless  for  the  rider,  saves  the  horse's 
loins  and  hocks,  and  is  easy,  because  the  hocks  and  pasterns 
bend.  To  stop  himself,  the  horse  acts  simultaneously  with  all 
the  parts  of  his  body,  makes  no  local  effort,  and  preserves  all 
the  elasticity  of  his  loins,  which  bend  and  become  slightly 
concave.  If  we  stop  the  horse  only  by  the  hand,  and  without 
the  help  of  the  legs,  the  forehand  will  become  arched  in  order 
to  resist  the  impulsion  received,  and  will  push  back  the  hind- 
quarters by  a  counter  stroke  in  removing  it  from  the  centre. 
In  this  case  the  loins  become  stiff  and  convex.  The  shock 
which  results- is  painful  for  the  rider,  and  often  dangerous  on 
account  of  its  violence,  and  is  very  bad  for  the  horse,  on 
whom  it  inflicts  pain  in  his  mouth,  shoulders,  loins,  and 
fetlocks. 

A  halt,  no  matter  how  sudden  it  may  be,  should  be  smooth;, 
if  it  is  not  so,  it  is  badly  executed. 

The  halt  ought  to  be  done  by  the  same  means  at  every 
pace.  It  is,  of  course,  understood  that  the  faster  the  speed, 
the  more  difficult  is  the  halt,  and  the  more  should  the  rider 
lean  back. 

The  horse  ought  not  only  stop  himself  as  quickly  as  his 
rider  wishes,  but  should  also  remain  standing  still  as  long  as 
he  is  required,  wherever  he  may  be.  It  is  somewhat  difficult 
to  make  an  impatient,  nervous,  or  excitable  horse  stand  still 
at  this  time.  We  should  calm  him  down,  so  as  to  gradually 
accustom  him  to  his  surroundings.  We  .should  begin  in  the 
school  when  we  are  alone,  and  should  pat  him  on  the  neck  and 


CHANGES    OF   DIRECTION.  ^y 

speak  to  him.  Each  time  lie  wishes  to  advance  or  go  side- 
ways, we  should  put  him  back  in  his  place,  and  should  not 
allow  him  to  take  a  step  in  any  direction.  If  we  allow  him 
to  go  to  one  side  or  the  other,  no  matter  how  little,  the 
first  movement  will  probably  be  followed  by  a  second  one ; 
and  so  on.  I  repeat,  that  the  best  way  to  calm  him  down  and 
get  him  to  stand  steady,  is  to  pat  him  on  the  neck  and  speak 
kindly  to  him. 

If  the  horse  is  alone  and  in  an  enclosed  place,  he  will 
readily  give  in,  but  to  teach  him  to  stand  steady  in  a  street, 
we  should  bring  other  horses  into  the  school  and  make  them 
move  about.  When  he  stands  steady  under  these  conditions, 
we  should  renew  the  exercise  outside,  in  some  quiet  place, 
and  should  then,  little  by  little,  try  him  in  places  where  there 
is  more  traffic.  I  have  already  said  that  habit  is  every- 
thing for  a  horse.  Therefore  it  is  only  necessary  to 
accustom  him  to  stand  in  the  middle  of  the  noise  and 
movement  of  the  street,  and  to  make  him  understand  that 
he  will  get  pats  on  the  neck  for  so  doing. 

After  all,  great  gentleness,  patience  and  gradual  training 
are  the  best  means  for  making  a  horse  stand  still  in  any 
place  as  long  as  we  like. 

CHANGES   OF   DIRECTION. 

At  first,  all  changes  of  direction  should  be  taught  at 
the  walk. 

To  turn  to  the  right,  we  should  lightly  draw  the  off 
snaffle  rein  with  the  right  hand  to  the  right,  and  ncjt  towards 
our  body,  so  as  not  to  stop  the  horse. 

We  find  that  the  animal  slackens  his  pace  when  he  turns  ; 
because  the  forward  reach  of  his  shoulder  which  begins  the 
movement  is  decreased,  so  that  the  off  fore  leg  of  the  horse, 
if  the  turn  is  made  to  the  right,  covers  only  about  half  the 
distance  of   an  ordinary  step.     This  period  of  arrest  causes 


88  ORDINARY   RIDING. 

the  croup  to  swerve,  because  it  cannot  go  forward,  notwith- 
standing its  acquired  impulsion.  But  if,  at  the  moment 
when  the  animal  yields  his  head  and  neck  to  the  pull  of  the 
right  rein,  we  slacken  the  hand,  while  supporting  the  legs, 
we  thereby  force  the  right  leg  to  take  a  pace  as  long  as  usual, 
and  shall  consequently  avoid  the  period  of  arrest,  by  obliging 
the  croup  to  follow  the  shoulders. 

The  rider  can  thus  straighten  the  croup  when  it  swerves 
in  turning,  and  can  do  it  easily,  because  he  feels  to 
what  side  the  swerve  is  made,  and  consequently  knows  which 
leg  to  employ.  As  we  do  not  know  to  which  side  the 
deviation  of  the  croup  may  be  made,  w^e  would  run  a  great 
risk  of  making  a  mistake,  if  we  were  to  say  in  advance  what 
leg  we  ought  to  employ. 

The  question  of  using  the  outward  or  inward  leg  in 
turning  has  been  greatly  discussed.  The  old  school  recom- 
mended the  inward  leg,  because  they  said  that  it  helped  the 
turning  movement.  Baucher  maintained,  on  the  contrary, 
that  we  ought  to  use  the  outward  leg,  so  as  to  prevent  the 
hind  quarters  being  swung  round  to  the  outside. 

The  practice  of  Baucher  has  been  generally  adopted. 
The  old  teachers  were  wrong.  They  said  that  to  turn  to 
the  right,  the  rider  had  to  bring  the  animal's  shoulders  to  the 
right  by  feeling  the  right  rein,  and  to  push  the  hind  quarters 
to  the  left  by  the  right  leg.  This  is  lateral  equitation  in 
all  its  beauty.  But  the}'  did  not  take  into  consideration 
the  fact  that  the  direction,  not  only  of  the  shoulders,  but  of 
the  entire  horse,  had  to  be  changed,  and  that  consequently 
the  animal  should  remain  straight. 

The  following  is  the  simple  solution  of  this  problem.  We 
should  appl}'  an  equal  pressure  of  both  legs.  Then,  if  the 
horse  swings  his  hind-quarters  round  to  one  side,  we  can 
keep  them  straight  b)'  the  pressure  of  the  outward  leg. 
The     hind-quarters    ought     to     follow     the     track     of     the 


CHANGES    OF   DIRECTION,  89 

forehand  without  deviating  from  it  in  the  sHghtest  degree 
The  horse  ought  ahvays  to  keep  his  liuid-quarters  in  the 
same  direction  as  the  shoulders.  It  is  the  rider's  business 
to  decide  whether  he  should  apply  a  more  or  less  strong 
pressure  with  one  leg  or  with  the  other  leg,  according  as  the 
horse  swerves  to  one  side  or  the  other. 

As  a  general  rule,  when  we  turn  to  the  right,  the  hind- 
quarters are  inclined  to  swing  round  too  much  to  the  left ; 
and  vice  versa.  Therefore,  unless  in  exceptional  cases,  we 
ought  to  apply  the  outward  leg  somewhat  more  strongly 
than  the  inward  one  when  we  turn. 

In  turning,  the  action  of  the  leg,  the  office  of  which  is  to 
prevent  any  deviation  of  the  croup,  should  never  precede 
that  of  the  hand,  but  should  immediately  follow  it. 

Another  way  is  at  first  to  turn  the  croup  inwards,  by 
doing  which,  the  movement  of  the  head,  and  immediately 
afterwards  that  of  the  neck  and  shoulders,  is  made  difficult. 
Besides,  the  arched  condition  of  the  croup  and  shoulders 
will  prompt  the  horse  to  resist  the  action  of  the  rein. 

We  occasionally  meet  horses  which  naturally  or  by  habit 
go  sideways.  In  this  case,  they  always  bring  their  croup  to 
the  same  side.  If,  for  instance,  they  carry  it  to  the  right, 
that  is  to  say,  inwards,  when  we  turn  them  to  the  right,  we 
shall  be  obliged  to  apply  the  inward  (right)  leg  more  strongly 
than  the  outward  one.  But  if,  in  turning  such  a  horse  to 
the  left,  he  continues  to  carry  his  croup  to  the  right,  a 
stronger  application  will  have  to  be  given  by  the  outward 
(right)  leg.  Therefore,  with  the  same  animal  we  may  some- 
times have  to  apply  the  inward,  and  at  other  times,  the 
outward  leg. 

To  get  the  horse  to  readily  change  direction,  and  to  give 
him  the  required  mobility,  we  should  make  him  perform  in 
the  school,  different  exercises,  such  as  doubters^  voltes,  demi- 
voltes,  and  changes  of  hand. 


90 


ORDINARY   RIDING. 


The  doublcr  is  a  straight  Hnc  which  we  take,  either  across 
or  down  the  centre  of  the  school,  after  having  started  from 
some  spot  in  the  wall.  Having  arrived  at  the  opposite 
wall,  we  turn,  and  continually  go  on  to  the  same  hand. 
(Fig.  25). 


k ....... 

Fig.  25. — Doiibkr. 

The  volte  is  a  circle  which  we  describe  on  some  point. 
But,  at  the  beginning,  it  is  best  to  do  the  volte  b\'  leaving 
the  end  of  one  of  the  long  sides  o{  the  school.  As  a  horse 
has  always  a  tendenc}'  to  enlarge  the  circle,  he  will  keep 
in  bounds  b\'  the  angle  formed  b}-  the  two  walls  which  face 
him.     (Fig-  26). 


CHANGES    OF   DIRECTION. 


91 


The  demi-volte  is  made  in  the  middle  of  one  of  the  small 
sides  of  the  school.  As  it  finishes  on  two  tracks,  we  should 
not  ask  the  horse  to  do  it  before  teaching  him  to  move  on 
two  tracks,  which  I  will  explain  further  on.     (Fig.  27). 

Whatever    may  be  the  pace  at  which  the    demi-volte    is 


Fig.  26. — Volte. 

made,  the  shoulders  should  be  the  first  to  leave,  and  to 
arrive  at,  the  wall  ;  that  is  to  say,  the  horse  should  always 
remain  on  an  oblique  line.  The  demi-volte  is  usually  done  in 
a  very  incorrect  manner.  Nothing  is  rarer  than  a  well- 
executed  demi-volte. 

It  often  happens  that  the  rider  uses  his  outward  leg  too 


92 


ORDINARY   RIDING. 


much  in  a  change  of  direction,  or  that  the  horse,  of  his  own 
accord,  carries  his  croup  to  the  inside,  or  simply  goes  down 
the  centre.  To  remedy  this,  we  should  start,  as  for  a  demi- 
volte,  from  the  usual  place  ;  but  should  continue  to  "  double," 
while  taking  care  to  keep  the  horse  very  straight.      If  this 


Oemi- volte  to  the  right 


Fig.  27. — Demi-volte. 

does  not  suffice,  we  should  deceive  the  animal  by  a  demi- 
volte  ;  thus  doing,  as  I  term  it,  a  counter-demi-volte.  (Fig.  27.) 
We  start,  for  instance,  to  the  right,  as  for  a  demi-volte ;  but 
having  arrived  at  the  middle  of  the  school,  we  finish  the  demi- 
volte  to  the  left  on  two  tracks.  The  horse,  who  was  wanting 
to  carry  his  croup  to  the  right,  is  obliged  to  carry  it  to  the 
left  by  the  vigorous  action  of  the  right  leg,  which  at  first  was 


CHANGES    OF   DIRECTION. 


95 


the  inward  leg,  but  which  in  this  manoeuvre  becomes  the  out- 
ward one.  There  is  no  better  exercise  than  this  for  keeping 
the  horse  always  straight  and  attentive ;  because,  by  alternating 
the  demi-voltes  and  the  counter-demi-voltes,  it  is  impossible 
for  him  to  become  "  routined." 


Fig.  28. — Diagonal  change  of  hand. 

There  are  three  changes  of  hand.  The  most  simple  is  the 
diagonal  chajige  of  hand,  in  which  we  go  along  one  of  the 
diagonals  of  the  school,  on  leaving  the  wall  at  the  beginning  of 
one  of  the  long  sides.     (Fig.  28.)* 

*  If  we  start  diagonally  at  the  end  of  one  of  the  long  sides  of  the  school,  we 
will  cross  the  school  from  one  angle  to  the  other,  without  having  changed  the. 
hand. 


94 


ORDINARY   RIDING. 


To  do  the  second  or  reversed  cliange  of  hand,  we  start  as  in 
the  preceding  movement,  from  one  of  the  angles  of  the  school, 
always  beginning  at  one  of  the  long  sides  ;  but  having  arrived 
at  the  centre,  we  return  by  a  half  circle  to  the  wall  of  the  long 
side  which  we  left,  and  which  we,  of  course,   take  on  the  left 


Fig.  29. — Reversed  change  of  hand. 

hand,    if  we   had    it   on     the    right    hand,    and    vice    versa 
(Fig.  29.) 

The  counter-change  of  hand  is  the  most  complicated  one. 
In  doing  it,  we  start  by  entering  the  long  side  on  two  tracks, 
and,  having  arrived  at  the  centre  of  the  school,  we  return  to 
the  other  end  of  the  long  side  from  which  we  started,  while 


CHANGES   OF   DIRECTION. 


95 


keeping  on  two  tracks  for  the  whole  time.  At  the  canter, 
this  movement  requires  two  changes  of  leg,  the  first  in  the 
middle  of  the  school,  and  the  second  at  the  wall.  If  the  rider  is 
going  on  the  right,  as  in  Fig.  30,  he  will  begin  at  the  canter 
with  the  off  fore  leading.     Having  arrived  at  the  centre  of  the 


Fig.   30. — Counter-change  of  hand. 

school,  he  will  make  the  horse  change,  and  canter  with  the 
near  fore  leading,  up  to  the  wall,  where  he  will  make  him 
change  to  the  off  fore.  We  can  see  that  in  the  counter-change 
of  hand  there  is  no  change  of  hand. 

In  a  like  manner  we  describe  circles  and  figures  of  8  in  the 
middle  of  the  school.     This  is  the  best  kind  of  work  for  sup- 


96    ^  ORDINARY   RIDING. 

pling  the  horse,  and  is  also  the  most  certain  means  for  making 
the  rider  use  his  two  legs  in  a  timely  way. 

We  do  not  learn  to  always  keep  our  horse  straight  by  con- 
tinually "  going  large " ;  because  in  this  case  the  croup  can 
swerve  only  to  one  side.  Also,  I  often  work  my  horses,  while 
keeping  them  at  one  yard,  and  in  large  schools,  at  two  yards 
from  the  wall 

We  may  further  note  that  during  the  entire  period  of 
breaking,  the  horse  tries  to  keep  as  little  straight  as  possible. 
He  will  understand  that  if  he  carries  his  croup  to  one  side  he 
will  escape  being  collected,  which  consists  in  the  hind  quarters 
propelling  the  body  in  the  direction  of  its  axis. 

The  best  work  for  suppling  the  horse  is  the  figure  of  8  per- 
formed a  yard  from  the  wall,  at  the  walk,  trot  and  canter;  but 
it  should  be  done  with  the  greatest  possible  correctness,  namely, 
with  a  light  inward  flexion  of  the  neck,  an  energetic  applica- 
tion of  the  outw^ard  leg,  and  support  from  the  inward  leg. 

By  preparing  a  horse  to  readily  change  the  diagonal  at  the 
walk,  we  also  prepare  him  to  start  into  the  canter,  and  to 
change  his  leg.  On  arriving  at  the  centre,  we  make  the  horse 
take  two  or  three  steps  to  the  side,  and  we  start  him  in  the 
required  position  on  a  new  diagonal.  We  should  take  great 
care  to  keep  him  straight,  especially  at  the  canter,  because  at 
this  delicate  work,  the  horse  has  always  a  tendency  to  throw 
his  croup  inwards,  so  as  to  escape  the  outward  spur,  which  has 
helped  to  straighten  him,  and  against  which  he  tries  to  guard 
himself  Hence  the  necessity,  as  I  have  recommended,  of 
opposing  the  inward  leg.  Finally,  we  can  obtain  impulsion 
only  by  closing  both  legs. 

LATERAL   FLEXIONS. 

Up  to  the  present  I  have  made  the  changes  of  direction 
only  in  a  rudimentary  way.  In  the  same  manner,  as  my  first 
lesson  was  to  drive  the  horse  forward,  I   only  require  him   at 


LATERAL    FLEXIONS. 


97 


first,  for  the  changes  of  direction,  to  turn  and  follow  the  line 
on  which  I  place  him.  In  every  case  I  go  from  simple  things 
to  complicated  ones.  When  the  horse  unresistantly  obe}-s 
everything,  from  the  first  indication  to  all  the  changes  of 
direction,  we  ha\-e  to  solve  the  new  problem  of  displacing  the 


■f^^g-  31- — Preparation  for  lateral  flexion  ;  jaw  contracted. 

entire  body  of  the  horse,  while  keeping  it  in  equilibrium  and 
lightness.  Lateral  flexion  is  the  preparation  for  the  movement 
thus  executed.  To  make  the  lateral  flexion  to  the  right,*  for 
instance,  we  should  stand  at  the  near  shoulder  of  the  horse, 
and  take  the  bridoon  reins  in  the  left  hand  and   the   bit   reins 

*  We  may  note  that  I  here  recommence  the  work  on  foot.     I  always  practise 
the  foot  work  and  the  mounted  vsork  in  the  same  lesson. 


98  ORDINARY   RIDING. 

in  the  right,  in  exactly  the  same  manner  as  for  the  direct 
flexion  ;  and,  having  placed  the  hand  and  neck  in  the  same 
position  as  we  would  do  for  the  direct  flexion,  we  make  that 
flexion.  When  the  jaw  is  relaxed  and  the  flexion  complete, 
we  push  the  head  of  the  horse  to  the  right,  by  light  pressures 
of  the  left  hand  on  the  bridoon  reins,  which  we  hold  high,  and 
drawn  from  rear  to  front,  in  order  to  prevent  both  the  lowering 
of  the  neck  and  any  tendency  which  the  horse  may  have  to 
get  behind  his  bit.* 

At  the  same  time,  the  right  hand  lightly  feels  the  curb  reins 
from  behind,  while  carrying  itself  to  the  right  in  such  a  manner 
as  to  principally  tighten  the  right  rein,t  until,  the  lateral 
flexion  of  the  neck  to  the  poll  being  complete  ;  the  tw^o  reins  of 
the  curb  acting  equally  in  giving  and  maintaining  the  play  of 
the  jaw  (Figs.  31  and  32  ),  which  ought  to  be  the  same  as  in 
direct  flexion. 

At  the  beginning,  we  ought  to  be  content  with  even  the 
appearance  of  obedience,  and  we  should  not  want  the  horse  to 
do  more  than  to  turn  his  head  slightly,  while  opening  his 
mouth.  We  must  practise  him  very  often  at  this  work,  and 
try  to  progress  by  requiring  more  exactness  each  time  in 
these  suppling  exercises.  We  will  certainly  finish  in  obtain- 
ing complete  flexion,  by  never  employing  force  and  con- 
tenting ourselves  with  a  small  degree  of  progress  at  each 
lesson. 

In  equitation  we  obtain  much  by  requiring  only  a  little  at 

*  See  Fig.  31,  preparation  for  lateral  flexion,  jaw  contracted;  Fig.  32, 
lateral  flexion,  jaw  relaxed. 

t  The  left  rein  of  the  curb,  however,  remains  slightly  tense.  If  the  right  rein 
only  acts,  it  will  pull  the  muzzle,  and  the  head  will  no  longer  be  in  a  vertical 
position. 

We  may  note  that  I  give  here  the  first  lesson  of  obedience  to  the  two  similar 
impulsions  in  the  changes  of  direction.  Up  to  this  I  have  used  the  right  rein 
only  to  turn  to  the  right.  I  now  begin  to  teach  the  horse  toobey  the  two  simul- 
taneous impulsions  acting  in  the  same  direction,  namely,  the  near  snaflle  rein 
which  pushes,  and  the  off"  curb  rein  which  pulls,  both  acting  from  left  to  right. 


LATERAL    FLEXIONS. 


99 


a  time.     Patience  then,  and  no  roughness,  which  will  always 
prevent  us  from  obtaining  our  end. 

The  exact  position  for  the  lateral  flexion  is  the  same  as  for 


Y\g.  32. — Lateral  flexion  ;  jaw  relaxed. 

the  direct  flexion,  except  that  the  neck,  while  remaining 
flexed  at  the  poll,  from  front  to  rear,  is  also  bent  to  one  side 
(always  at  the  poll),  in  such  a  manner  that  the  direction  of 
the  head  is  perpendicular  to   what  it  was  in  direct  flexion, 

7* 


loo  ORDINARY    RIDING. 

and  faces  the  side  upon  which  the  flexion  was  made.  The 
neck,  of  course,  remains  high,  as  in  direct  flexion,  the 
muzzle  being  at  the  height  of  the  upper  part  of  the  shoulder, 
and   the    head    in,    or    a    little    beyond,    the    perpendicular  * 

(Fig-  33)- 

Thus,  as  we  have  seen  by  the  right  flexion,  this  flexion  is 
generally  done  in  quite  a  different  manner.  The  onl}-  way 
to  find  out  what  the  lateral  flexion  ought  to  be,  is  to  consider 
the  result  we  wish  to  obtain  from  it. 

OBJECT.S   OF   LATER.A.L   FLEXION.S. 

1.  To  preserve,  by  the  high  position  of  the  neck,  the  equili- 
brium of  direct  flexion  in  changes  of  direction. 

2.  To  strengthen  and  bind  the  entire  forehand  in  the  changes 
of  direction,  by  arranging  all  the  parts  in  such  a  manner  as. to 
make  the  whole  as  compact  and  supple  in  the  turning  move- 
ments, as  in  the  direct  movements. 

In  changes  of  direction,  the  shoulders  naturall}'  cover 
the  ground,  while  the  hind  quarters  give  the  propulsion  ;  but 

*  In  doing  the  lateral  flexion  we  should  take  care  not  to  alter  the  distribution 
of  weight.  To  counterbalance  the  effect  of  the  flexion,  the  horse  has  a  natural 
tendency  to  make  an  opposition  with  the  shoulder  of  the  side  away  from  which 
the  head  is  turned,  and  to  put  the  weight  of  the  forehand  on  the  left  leg  if  the 
head  is  bent  to  the  right.  This  is  inevitable  as  long  as  the  jaw  resists,  but  the 
moment  it  yields,  its  flexion,  involving  that  of  the  neck,  brings  about  an  equal 
distribution  of  weight  on  both  legs.  If  we  allow  the  horse  to  contract  the  habit 
of  opposing  the  shoulder  of  the  side  opposite  to  the  flexion,  the  equilibrium,  and 
consequently  the  lightness,  will  be  destroyed.  In  changes  of  direction,  as  in 
movements  on  two  tracks,  the  shoulder  of  the  side  opposite  to  that  of  the  flexion 
will  always  be  late.  The  great  difficulty  in  these  exercises  is  to  make  this 
shoulder  move.  Hence  we  should  always  try  to  relieve  it  by  making  only  a 
slight  bend,  whilst  the  snaffle  rein  of  the  side  opposite  to  the  change  transfers  the 
weight  to  the  inward  shoulder  (which  has  less  ground  to  cover),  by  throwing  the 
weight  at  each  stride  to  the  side  towards  which  the  animal  is  proceeding.  This 
method  enables  us  to  obtain  great  propulsion  in  work  on  two  tracks.  A  too 
complete  flexion  will  stop  this  propulsion  by  overloading  the  outward  shoulder. 
At  first  one  is  always  astonished  to  learn  that  the  flexion  to  the  right  overloads 
the  near  shoulder,  which  is  the  natural  result  of  the  attempt  made  by  the  horse  to 
counterbalance  the  effort  demanded  of  him. 


OBJECTS    OF   LATERAL    FLEXIONS.         loi 

the  rider  has  no  direct  action  on  the  shoulders.  He  acts  only 
on  the  neck  through  the  mouth,  and  on  the  shoulders 
through  the  neck.  Lateral  flexion,  by  strengthening  and 
binding  all  the  parts  together,  places  them  in  a  state  of 
reciprocal  dependence,  which  enables  the  rider  to  act  on  the 
entire  forehand.  Without  flexion,  the  fishing-rod,  as  I  have 
alread}'   said,  will   be    held   by  the  thin  end  ;  that   is   to  say. 


Fig.  33. — Correct  lateral  flexion. 

there  will  be  a  heavy  head  (because  it  is  far  from  the  centre 
of  gravity)  at  the  end  of  a  slack  neck.  The  action  of  the 
reins,  instead  of  directing  the  mass,  is  therefore  limited  to 
bringing  the  head  towards  the  forehand,  which  remains  fixed 
on  the  ground,  in  proportion  as  the  horse  is  on  his  shoulders. 

3.  To  preserve  lightness  in  the  cJianges  of  direction  by  the 
flexion  of  tJie  jazv. 

In  all  movements,  impulsion  makes  the  horse  a  single  whole. 


I02  ORDINARY   RIDING. 

It  is  the  hind  quarters  zvhich,  by  getting  imder  the  centre,  bind 
themselves  to  the  forehand  *  If  all  this  propulsion  was  accu- 
mulated on  the  bars  of  the  flexed  and  movable  lower  jawf — 
which  should  be  connected  to  the  entire  forehand  in  such  a 
way  that  the  flexibility!  of  the  arm  of  the  lever  would  be 
always  increasing  from  the  shoulders  to  the  jaw — the  hands, 
both  in  the  changes  of  direction  and  in  direct  movements, 
would  send  back  with  extreme  lightness  §  to  the  legs,  a  part 
of  the  propulsion  which  they  have  received  from  them.  We 
can  thus  make  the  entire  body  of  the  horse  into  an  energetic 
and  harmonious  whole  by  the  good  equilibrium  of  the  levers, 
and  by  the  well-regulated  use  of  the  forces  in  changes 
of  direction.  We  will  thus  obtain  lightness,  and  will 
continue  to  have  the  horse  in  hand  in  all  the  changes  of 
direction. 

In  the  foregoing  remarks  I  have  described  what  I  consider 
to  be  the  nature  and  object  of  lateral  flexion,  and  have  tried, 
as  in  the  description  of  direct  flexion,  to  give  reasons  for  my 
practice.  Unfortunately  the  greater  number  of  those  who 
teach  horses  flexions,  do  the  work  in  a  hap-hazard  way, 
without  accurately  understanding  the  nature  of  the  result 
which  they  ought  to  try  to  obtain. 

I  must  say  that  Baucher  did  not  give  a  better  account  of 
the  mechanism  of  lateral  flexion,  than  he  did  of  direct 
flexion.     Or,  rather,  he  committed   the  same  fault  in   lateral 

*  Many  authors  speak  of  connecting  the  forehand  to  the  hind  quarters,  which  is 
an  absurdity,  because  the  hind  quarters  throw  themselves  on  the  forehand  during 
propulsion.  The  "  aids  "  keep  the  body  in  good  position  by  restraining  or 
regulating  the  force  which  comes  from  the  hocks. 

t  When  the  jaw  does  not  yield,  nothing  yields,  and  the  horse  changes  his 
position  all  in  one  piece  during  the  changes  of  direction.      He  turns  like  a  boat. 

\  The  only  lateral  movement  in  lateral  flexion  is  done  Ijy  the  poll  ;  the 
jaw  bends  exactly  as  in  direct  flexion. 

§  In  lateral  flexion,  as  in  direct  flexion,  we  should  work  the  levers  in  such  a 
manner  as  to  obtain  the  maximum  effect  l)y  a  minimum  effort. 


OBJECTS   OF  LATERAL   FLEXIONS.  103 

flexion  as  in  direct  flexion,  because  the  latter  is  a  prej^aration 
for  the  former.  This  faulty  flexion,  which  is  adopted  by 
those  who  have  followed  him,  is  made  at  the  withers  instead 
of  at  the  poll.  Here,  again,  as  in  direct  flexion,  we  find  the 
exciting  cause  of  the  lowering  of  the  neck,  which  changes  a 
useful  exercise  into  an  injurious  one.  In  it  the  head  is  low, 
the  bend  of  the  neck  is  at  the  withers  instead  of  at  the  poll, 
and  the  head  of  the  horse  is  in  profile   instead  of  facing  one. 


Fig.  34. — Incorrect  lateral  flexion, 

A  comparison  of  Fig,  34  (wrong  flexion)  with  Fig.  33 
(correct  flexion)  shows  us  at  a  glance  the  advantages  of  the 
lateral  flexion  which  I  ha\-e  described,  and  the  faults  of  the 
flexion  which  is  commonly  practised.  To  complete  this 
criticism,  I  need  only  repeat  all  what  I  have  said  about  the 
wTong  method  of  direct  flexion  and  its  faults. 

We  need  not  be  surprised  that  flexions  have  been 
blamed  for  softening  the  neck  ;  that  is  to  say,  for  rendering  it 
movable,  independently  of  the  remainder  of   the  body,  which 


104  ORDINARY   RIDING. 

is  precisely  the  result  of  lateral  flexion  at  the  withers  ; 
whilst  lateral  flexion  at  the  poll,  on  the  contrary,  stiffens 
the  neck,  and  binds  all  the  forehand  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
displace  it  from  the  whole,  which  is  an  indispensable  result,  as 
I  have  explained,  because  the  rider  has  no  direct  action  on 
the  shoulders.  Head  low  and  isolated  from  the  body  by  a 
movable  neck,  which  yields  of  itself  without  drawing  the 
shoulders,  and  allows  the  horse  to  oppose  every  movement  of 
the  neck  by  a  movement  of  the  shoulders  in  an  opposite 
direction,  with  consequent  impossibility  of  directing  the  fore- 
hand, and  the  results  of  a  lateral  flexion  at  the  withers  and  of 
a  lowering  of  the  neck  which  follows  it. 

Contrary  to  direct  flexion  (which  I  never  practise,  either 
on  foot  or  mounted,  except  when  going  forward),  lateral 
flexion  at  first  is  done  on  foot,  when  the  horse  is  standing 
still,  on  account  of  the  difficulty  of  putting  the  hind  quarters 
in  movement.  In  mounted  work,  I  practise  lateral  flexion 
only  when  going  forward.  I  make  it  an  absolute  rule,  once  I 
am  mounted,  never  to  ask  my  horse  anything  except  when 
he  is  advancing,  and  I  have  consequently  avoided  making 
my  school  horses  inclined  to  get  behind  their  bit,  which  is 
the  usual  danger  in  high  school  breaking.* 

In  mounted  work,  lateral  flexion  is  made  by  the  same 
mechanism  as  on  foot.  In  order  to  bend  the  neck  to  the 
right,  the  near  snaffle  rein,  tightened  and  drawn  to  the  right, 
keeps  the  head  high,  and,  being  pressed  against  the  upper 
part  of  the  neck,  it  pushes  the  head  from  left  to  right,  while 
the  off  curb  rein,  slightly  tightened,  aids  this  movement,  and 
loosens  the  jaw  (Fig.  35). 


*  I  have  already  said  that  a  high  position  of  the  neck  can  be  obtained  only 
during  forward  progression,  and  that  the  reason  I  keep  the  necks  of  my  horses  very 
high  is  because  I  continue  to  drive  them  forward  during  all  the  work  I  give  them. 
In  fact,  the  greater  the  forward  impulsion,  the  more  do  the  hind  (juarlers  get 
under  the  centre,  and  the  more  is  the  forehand  lightened. 


OBJECTS    OF   LATERAL   FLEXIONS.  105 

As  the  first  care  of  the  rider  should  be  to  keep  his  animal 
straight,  he  should  use  both  legs  to  obtain  impulsion,  the  leg 
of  the  side  opposite  to  the  bend  of  the  neck  being  applied 
more  strongly  than  the  other  leg. 

When  the  legs  act  simultaneously,  they  are  agents  of  pro- 
pulsion ;  but  when  one  acts  stronger  than  the  other,  it  is  an 


^'g-  35- — Correct  lateral  flexion  when  mounted. 

agent  of  direction.  One  leg  should  never  act  by  itself :  the 
simultaneous  action  of  both  legs  is  propulsion ;  the  pre- 
dominance of  one  over  the  other  is  direction.  Finally,  as  the 
hands  are  much  more  effective  for  guiding  than  the  legs,  they 
should  be  used  in  a  very  light  manner. 

-  The  fundamental  error  of  Baucher's  lateral  flexion  is  as 
well  marked  in  mounted  work  as  in  foot  work.  Compare 
Fig.  36,  which  I  have  taken  from  Baucher's  book,  with 
Fig.  35,  which  represents  correct  flexion. 


io6 


ORDINARY   RIDING. 


Fig.  37)  taken  from  a  recent  book,  shows  clearh-  that 
many  persons  of  the  present  day  who  claim  to  practise 
lateral  flexion  have  no  idea  of  its  mechanism  or  object. 


Fig.  36. — Baucher's  lateral  flexion  when  niountecl. 

The     lateral    flexion     I    have     described    is     a    suppling 
exercise,  whether  it  is  done  on  foot  or  when  mounted,  and 


OBJECTS    OF    LATERAL    FLEXIONS. 


107 


is  of  great  importance.  Equilibrium,  lightness  and  mobility 
depend  on  the  flexions  and  on  getting  the  horse  in  hand, 
and  until  he  has  learned  all  this,  it  would  be  folly  to  ask  for 
more.  It  is  therefore  of  the  highest  importance  to  make  the 
lateral  flexion  complete,  so  as  to  obtain  extreme  obedience 
from  the  horse. 


Fig.  37. — Incorrect  lateral  flexion. 

But  when  we  practise  lateral  flexion  in  later  work 
(changes  of  direction,  work  on  two  tracks,  etc.),  we  ought  to 
content  ourselves  with  a  very  slight  lateral  flexion  of  the 
neck,*  which,  like  the  head,  should  always  be  well  placed. 
We  can  understand  that  a  too  strongly  accentuated  flexion 
checks  the  effect  of  propulsion  by  throwing  all  the  weight 
on  the  outward   shoulder. 

*  As  long  as  the  jaws  work  we  have  lightness,  and  the  slightest  indication  is 
sufficient  for  changes  of  direction. 


io8  ORDINARY    RIDING. 

The  suppling  exercise,  which  we  term  lateral  flexion,  is 
not  the  less  necessary,  because  it  demands  much  in  order  to 
obtain  little.  But  we  must  recognise  the  fact  that  in  later 
work  it  is  enough  to  obtain  a  slight  bend  of  the  neck, 
provided  that  the  head  and  neck  are  always  well  placed,  and 
above  all  things  that  the  jaw  is  loose. 


Fig.  38. — Lateral  effects  in  rotation  of  croup  and  shoulders. 

ROTATION  OF  THE  CROUP  AND  SHOULDERS. 

When  I  have  successively  made  the  horse  readil}'  }'ie]d  to 
the  whip,  and  to  perform  the  lateral  flexions  with  equal 
facility,  I  have  then  to  combine  both  these  movements  into  a 
single  movement. 

I  have  at  first  taught  him  to  )deld  to  the  \\hip  from  left  to 
right,  while  helping  the  movement  with  the  near  snaffle  rein, 
which  draws  the  head  to  the  left,  so  as  to  carry  the  croup  to 
the  right.  This  work  is  called  "  lateral  effects "  (Fig.  38); 
because  the  two  effects  are  produced  on  the  same  side  (left 
rein  and  whip  to  the  left).       Having   done   this,  I  succeed, 


ROTATION  OF  CROUP  AxXD  SHOULDERS.   109 

little  by  little,  in  making  the  horse  give  A\iiy,  by  holding  the 
head  straight  (Fig.  39),  which  is  called  a  "  direct  effect." 
Now  it  is  necessar)'  for  him  to  yield,  by  adopting  ''  diagonal 
effects  "  in  the  same  way,  namely,  with  the  whip  on  the  left 
and  th-e  flexion  on  the  right  (Fig.  40).*  For  that  purpose, 
without  using  the  snaffle  rein,  the  end  of  which  is  in  m)'  left 


1  ig-  39-  —  Direct  eft'ects  in  rotation  of  croup  and  shoulders. 


hand,f  I  catch  hold  of  the  near  curb  rein,  quite  close  to  the 
mouth,  with  the  left  hand,  while  the  right  hand,  at  the  height 

*  I  have  already  explained  that  lateral  equitation  is  only  a  preparation  for 
diagonal  equitation,  which  is  the  only  rational  method,  and  by  which  alone  we 
can  obtain  combined  effects.  Everyone  understands  that  the  action  of  the  rider 
should  be  effected  diagonally,  for  the  simple  reason  that  the  movements  of  the 
horse  are  produced  diagonally. 

t  For  the  better  explanation  of  the  action  of  the  reins,  I  have  omitted  the 
snaffle  in  Fig.  40. 

I  may  remind  my  readers  that  the  proper  way  to  hold  the  ends  of  the  snaffle 
reins  is  to  have  the  buckle  in  the  hollow  of  the  hand  (Figs.  38  and  39). 


no 


ORDINARY   RIDING. 


of  the  horse's  breast,  holds  both  the  whip  and  the  off  rehi,  for 
which  the  withers  act  as  a  pulley  (Fig.  40).  The  horse  will 
then  make  the  direct  flexion.  I  then  try  to  obtain  the 
beginning  of  the  right  lateral  flexion  by  raising  the  head  by 
means  of  slight  upward  jerks  on  the  curb,  and  by  pressing 
the  head  to  the  right,  while  at  the  same  time  I  make  the 
croup    give    way   by  working   the    whip   from     left   to   right. 


Fig.  40. — Diagonal  effects  in  rotation  of  croup  and  shoulders. 


Finally,  I  increase  these  effects,  until  the  yielding  of  the  neck, 
jaw  and  croup  is  complete. 

I  thus  succeed  in  making  the  horse  pivot,  while  I  do  the 
complete  lateral  flexion. 

I  purposely  use  the  word  "  pivot,"  which  expresses  m\'  idea 
in  an  incomplete  manner,  but  which  accurately  discribes 
Baucher's  method  of  doing  this  rotation.  In  fact,  during  the 
rotation    of  the   croup,  according    to  his  plan,  the  forehand 


ROTATION  OF  CROUP  AND  SHOULDERS,     iii 

remains  stationary  and  serves  as  a  pivot,  which  I  have  found 
to  be  a  mistake.  During  breaking,  none  of  the  parts  of  the 
horse  should  be  stationary,  because  immobihty  often  degener- 
ates into  a  means  of  defence.  Therefore,  instead  of  making 
the  horse  pivot,  I  tr}-  to  make  him  describe  a  very  small  circle 
with  the  forehand  round  the  centre,  and  a  large  concentric 
circle  round  it  with  the  hind  quarters. 

Of  course,  I  do  not  pass  abruptly  from  lateral  effects  to 
direct  effects,  or  from  direct  effects  to  diagonal  effects.  On 
the  contrary,  I  go  imperceptibly  from  one  to  the  other,  so  that 
the  horse  may  well  understand  what  I  want  him  to  do,  and 
that  he  may  not  evince  any  surprise  or  confusion.  The 
employment  of  lateral  effects  has  been  a  preparatory  step 
towards  the  execution  of  the  movement  by  direct  effects. 
In  the  same  way,  direct  effects  are  only  a  preparatory 
measure  for  diagonal  effects. 

This  work  would  be  of  no  use  if  its  only  object  was  to 
make  the  horse  give  way  to  the  whip.  Its  great  end  is,  with- 
out frightening  the  horse,  to  prepare  him  to  obey  the  legs  at 
first,  and  the  spurs  subsequently  and  by  degrees. 

We  now  come  to  mounted  work,  which  I  do  by  again 
passing  from  lateral  effects  to  direct  effects,  and  from  direct 
effects  to  diagonal  effects,  as  during  work  on  foot. 

If,  when  in  the  middle  of  the  school,  I  wish  to  obtain  the 
rotation  of  the  croup  {reversed  pirouette^  from  the  left  to  the 
right,  I  bring  my  left  heel  close  to  the  animal's  side.  As  a 
green  horse  does  not  know  what  I  wish  him  to  do,  his  first 
movement  will  be  to  lean  against  my  leg,  at  which  movement 
the  good  effect  of  the  preceding  work  will  come  to  my  aid. 
I  touch  him  lightly  with  my  whip  on  the  left  side,  as  near  as 
possible  to  my  heel,  and  I  avoid  above  all  things  touching  him 
too  far  back,  which  would  be  almost  certain  to  make  him 
kick.  At  the  same  time  I  use  the  left  snaffle  rein  to  make 
him  carry  his  croup  to   the  right.     I   can   assure  my  readers 


112  ORDINARY    RIDING. 

that  no  horse  will  resist  these  indications,  if  they  are  gently 
employed. 

I  use  the  near  snaffle  rein  according  to  the  amount  of 
resistance  which  the  horse  often  makes  at  first.  I  draw  the 
head  a  little  more  to  the  left,  while  continuing  to  touch  the 
animal's  side  with  the  heel  and  whip  if  the  resistance  is  great. 
The  horse  is  forced  to  yield  to  these  three  forces  acting  on 
the  same  side. 

As  soon  as  the  horse  takes  a  step  to  the  right,  I  stop  him 
and  pat  him  on  the  neck.  I  then  let  him  go  quietly  round 
the  school,  in  order  that  he  may  think  over  what  he  has  just 
done.  It  is  most  important  always  to  let  a  horse  be  free  and 
quiet  after  he  has  obeyed.  A  horse  will  accept  this  as  a 
reward,  which  we  should  not  be  chary  in  giving  him.  Stop- 
page of  work  and  pats  on  the  neck  are  the  only  means  to 
make  him  understand  that  he  has  done  well.  We  are  so  often 
obliged  to  have  recourse  to  punishment  during  breaking,  that 
we  ought  to  eagerly  seize  the  opportunity  of  patting  him  on 
the  neck,  when  he  shows  the  slightest  sign  of  obedience.  The 
more  we  pat  him  on  the  neck,  the  less  will  we  be  forced  to 
f)unish  him.* 

As  I  have  just  said,  by  letting  the  horse  walk  at  ease  for  a 
few  moments,  we  give  him  time  to  understand  the  movement 
which  he  has  just  done  and  the  indications  which  cause  him 
to  do  it.  Apparently  the  horse  yields  only  physically,  but  in 
reality  it  is  his  intelligence,  or,  to  speak  more  correctly,  his 
memory  to  which  we  appeal.  We  must  therefore  work  on  his 
memory,  and  for  that  reason  I  allow  him  the  necessary  time 
to  permanently  remember  this  fact. 

Having  let  the  horse  go  quietly  round  the  school,  I  do  the 

*  The  greal  art  in  breaking  is  to  reward  and  punish  in  an  appropriate  manner 
in  order  to  do  which  we  must  seize  the  exact  moment  of  obedience  or  resistance. 
Here  we  must  bear  in  mind  the  fundamental  principle  of  breaking,  namely,  that 
reward  should  follow  obedience  as  quickly  as  punishment  follows  disobedience. 


ROTATION  OF  CROUP  AND  SHOULDERS.      113 

same  exercise  over  again,  twenty  or  thirty  times,  without 
changing  the  side,  until  he  obeys  the  moment  I  close  my 
heel  to  his  side.  I  then  give  him  similar  work  with  the  right 
leg. 

When  the  horse  accurately  obeys  both  legs,  I  put  on 
dummy  spurs  (stump  spurs),  in  order  to  accustom  him  to 
obey  something  more  severe  than  the  heel.  Then,  each  day  I 
increase  the  effect  of  the  leg,  while  diminishing  that  of  the 
whip,  which  I  gradually  discard.*  Later  on  I  come  to  the 
spur. 

I  use  the  whip,  only  to  aid  the  memory  of  the  horse,  and  to 
induce  him  to  obey  the  spur  without  frightening  him.  We 
should  not  forget  that  the  effect  of  a  touch  of  the  spur  on  a 
green  horse  at  the  beginning  of  the  breaking,  is  exactly 
similar  to  that  of  the  sting  of  a  fly,  which  he  at  first  tries  to 
drive  away  with  his  tail.  If  he  does  not  succeed  in  this,  he 
will  cow-kick  on  the  side  he  is  pricked.  If  the  insect  does 
not  fly  away,  he  will  look  out  for  some  object,  such  as  a  wall 
or  tree,  upon  which  to  lean  or  lie,  in  order  to  crush  the  author 
of  his  sufferings,  the  fly.  Therefore,  when  we  give  him  the 
first  touch  of  the  spur,  how  can  we  expect  that  his  first  move- 
ment will  not  be  to  cow-kick  or  to  lean  against  a  wall  ? 

We  may  see  that  it  is  a  grave  mistake  to  use  the  spur  with- 
out having  prepared  the  horse  for  it,  by  making  him  succes- 
sively obey  the  whip,  leg,  heel  and  dummy  spur. 

If  we  spur  a  horse  which  is  neither  prepared  for  nor 
accustomed  to  it,  he  will  not  understand  its  meaning,  and  will 
not  obey.  If  we  try  to  force  him  to  do  so,  he,  not  knowing 
w^hat  we  want  him  to  do,  and  feeling  the  pain  which  we  inflict 
on  him,  will  instinctively  defend  himself.  The  more  severe  the 
attack,  the  more  stubborn  will  be  the  resistance  at  first,  and 

*  I  have  already  said  that  I  discard  the  whip  when  mounted,  and  I  take  it  up 
again  only  to  make  the  horse  obey  the  leg  and  to  obtain  the  first  extension  of  the 
legs  in  the  Spanish  trot.  In  both  cases  I  continue  the  use  of  the  whip  for  only 
two  or  three  lessons. 

8 


114  ORDINARY    RIDING. 

the  more  energetic  the  subsequent  defence.  If  the  horse  is 
soft,  he  will  lean  against  the  spur ;  but  if  he  is  impetuous,  he 
will  immediately  make  a  most  violent  defence,  and  the  break- 
ing will  have  failed  in  every  way.  Some  animals  will  become 
restive,  others  will  become  maddened  at  the  mere  approach  of 
the  leg,  and  the  breaker,  instead  of  having  taught  anything, 
will  have  rendered  education  impossible. 

It  is  always  thus  in  breaking,  the  great  difficulty  being  to 
make  the  horse  understand  what  we  want  him  to  do.  As  we 
can  appeal  only  to  his  memory,*  the  means  which  we  employ 
with  him  should  be  simple,  and  should  be  invariably  the 
same. 

In  riding,  the  horse  ought  to  be  taught  to  understand  that 
the  spur  is  simply  an  "  aid,"  and  that  it  becomes  a  punish- 
ment only  when  he  plays  up.*f- 

Many  persons  who  have  only  a  superficial  knowledge  of 
equitation  imagine  that,  instead  of  touching  the  horse  behind 
the  girths  with  the  spur,  it  is  more  rational  to  keep  the  knee 
tightly  pressed  against  the  flap  of  the  saddle,  and  by  drawing 
back  the  heel  to  spur  the  horse  on  the  side.  Nothing  can  be 
more  faulty  than  this  method,  by  which  the  spur  slides  along 
a  large  extent  of  the  side.  By  it  we  succeed  only  in  tickling 
the  animal  and  provoking  him  to  defend  himself,  and  we 
are  unable  to  spur  him  with  sufficient  power  to  drive  him 
forward  and  to  paralyse  his  defence.     The  further  back   the 

*  For  this  reason,  I  have  already  said  that  in  the  same  lesson  we  must  care- 
fully avoid  requiring  the  horse  to  do  two  or  more  things  which  might  confuse 
him.  As  his  comprehension  is  very  slow,  we  ought  to  guard  against  perplexing 
him. 

t  It  often  happens  that  the  horse  throws  himself  on  the  spur,  sometimes  to  one 
side  and  sometimes  to  the  other.  In  this  case  we  ought  to  effectively  correct 
him  with  the  spur,  for  which  object  I  place  him  in  the  middle  of  the  school,  and 
drive  my  heel  and  spur  into  his  rebellious  side,  so  as  to  make  him  bring  it  round. 
When  he  has  thus  made  two  or  three  pirouettes,  I  stop  and  begin  again  the  work 
I  left  off.  If  he  again  resists,  I  recommence  the  work,  until  he  has  thoroughly 
iven  in. 


ROTATION  OF  CROUP  AND  SHOULDERS.      115 

spur  is  drawn  away  from  the  i^irths,  the  nearer  it  approaches 
the  most  tickHsh  spot.  In  fact,  horses  are  not  tickhsh  near 
the  girths,  but  all  of  them  are  ticklish  further  back. 

Besides,  in  this  kind  of  attack,  the  lower  part  of  the  leg 
cannot  remain  close  to  the  animal's  side,  because  the  foot 
swings  backwards  and  forwards  ;  the  result  being  that  the 
attack  is  sudden,  instead  of  the  horse  being  prepared  for  it  by 
a  gradual  pressure  of  the  leg.  It  should,  on  the  contrary,  be 
capable  of  being  regulated  with  precision,  so  that  it  can  be 
light,  well-marked,  or  extremely  severe,  according  to  the 
resistance  offered  by  the  horse  to  the  indications  given  by  the 
rider's  legs. 

When  spurring  a  horse  just  behind  the  girths,  the  knee 
should  be  turned  a  little  outwards,  so  that  the  spur,  like  a 
sword,  may  be  brought  at  right  angles  to  the  side,  progres- 
sively and  with  certainty.  The  scratching  and  fraying  form 
of  attack  is  made  without  precision  and  by  jerks. 

Those  who  believe  that  the  fact  of  the  knee  being  slightly 
turned  outwards  diminishes  the  firmness  of  the  rider's  seat, 
should  be  taught  that  the  rider  gets  his  strongest  grip  by 
means  of  the  upper  and  back  part  of  the  calf  of  the  leg. 
Therefore  the  position  which  the  leg  occupies  when  it  spurs 
the  horse  just  behind  the  girths,  is  the  one  which  is  most 
favourable  to  the  rider's  firmness  of  seat.* 

Gripping  too  tightly  with  the  knees  pushes  the  thighs 
upwards,  and  causes  the  rider  to  be  more  or  less  raised  out 
of  the  saddle. 

By  gripping  with  the  hollow  of  the  leg  just  behind  the  knee, 
we  have,  on  the  contrary,  perfect  adherence  from  the  buttock 
to  the  heel.     Besides,  we  can  do  fine  work  with  the  horse  only 


*  The  fact  that  all  beginners  and  had  riders  instinctively  assume  this  position, 
in  order  to  get  the  greatest  possible  firmness  of  seat,  prevents  them  from  being  able 
to  use  the  spurs.  Besides,  every  rider  instinctively  adopts  this  position  when 
his  horse  plays  up. 

8* 


ii6  ORDINARY    RIDING. 

by  always  keeping  the  heels  close  to  his  sides.  With  the 
knees  and  toes  turned  inwards,  the  heels  are  too  far  from  the 
sides,  and  can  work  only  by  jerks.  Good  horsemanship 
cannot  be  practised  without  progressive  and  delicate!}'  effected 
transitions. 

When  the  horse  readily  yields  to  the  legs,  I  change  the 
feeling  on  the  reins  b}-  degrees.  It  is  always  necessary  to 
finally  place  the  head  of  the  horse  on  the  side  to  which  it  is 
directed.  Nevertheless,  the  change  should  be  made  so 
gradually  that  the  animal  will  not  notice  it. 

At  first  he  wall  yield  to  my  leg  only  when  I  use  it,  while 
feeling  the  rein  of  the  same  side — a  lateral  effect.  1  gradually 
diminish  the  tension  of  the  rein,  until  he  will  obey  the  leg  by 
itself,  and  I  then  employ  both  snafifle  reins  to  keep  his  head 
straight — direct  effect.  Finally,  I  succeed  little  by  little  in 
using  the  opposite  rein — diagonal  effect. 

Here  progress  will  be  similar  to  that  which  was  obtained 
when  doing  the  same  movement  on  foot ;  solely  by  the  aid  of 
the  w^hip,  that  is  to  say,  the  horse  will  finish  by  rotating  his 
croup  to  the  right,  while  keeping  his  muzzle  to  the  right ;  and 
vice  versa.  At  this  work  I  never  require  complete  lateral 
flexion  when  mounted.  A  very  slight  bend  towards  the  side 
to  which  we  are  going  is  sufficient.* 

Having  obtained  this  result,  I  teach  the  horse  to  do  the 
simple  pirouette,  in  which  he  turns  his  shoulders  round  his 
hind  quarters.! 

We  should  not  onl}-  supple  the  hind   quarters,  but  should 


*  When  the  horse  readily  yields  to  the  action  of  the  legs,  it  is  well  to  use  them 
alternately  ;  but  only  as  an  indication,  to  make  the  hind  quarters  slightly  yield,  in 
which  case  a  step  or  two  will  be  sufficient.  The  rider  will  thus  succeed  in 
sending  the  hind  quarters  from  one  leg  to  the  other  leg,  and  to  measure  this 
action.     This  is  the  beginning  of  "equestrian  tact." 

t  This  work  can  be  properly  done  only  when  mounted,  on  account  of  the 
necessity  of  supporting  the  hind  quarters  and  of  pressing  the  horse  forward. 


ROTATION  OF  CROUP  AND  SHOULDERS.      117 

also  give  to  the  shoulders  the  greatest  possible  mobility,  which 
is  an  indispensable  quality  for  every  kind  of  work. 

We  can  exert  no  direct  action  on  the  shoulders,  as  we  can 
on  the  mouth  and  hind  quarters.  The  impulsion  to  put  them 
in  movement  is  given  by  the  hind  quarters,  which  are  put  in 
action  by  our  legs  ;  and  the  direction  is  given  by  the  mouth, 
which  receives  the  indication  of  the  reins. 

I  shall  now  describe  how  I  make  the  shoulders  rotate, 
namely,  how  I  do  the  pirouette  from  left  to  right. 

Having  halted  the  horse  in  the  middle  of  the  school,  I 
carry  both  hands  to  the  right  and  close  the  legs,  in  order  to 
prevent  a  retrograde  movement  ;  the  left  leg  being  pressed 
more  strongly  to  the  side  than  the  right  leg,  so  as  to  prevent 
the  horse  from  bringing  his  hind  quarters  round  to  the  left.  I 
work  the  snaffle  reins  simultaneously  with  the  legs,  the  off 
rein  being  lightly  drawn  to  the  right,  but  not  backwards, 
while  the  near  rein  pushes  the  shoulders  to  the  right.  The 
near  rein  performs  another  office,  as  follows  :  If  the  horse> 
having  carried  his  shoulders  to  the  right,  wishes  to  throw  his 
hind  quarters  to  the  left,  a  slight  pull  of  the  near  rein  gives 
immediate  help  to  the  left  leg  to  keep  the  croup  in  its  place, 
by  carrying  the  head  more  or  less  to  the  left,  according  to 
the  extent  the  hind  quarters  have  swung  round  to  the  left. 

At  the  beginning  we  should  make  a  large  circle  rather  than 
a  small  one,  which  would  be  a  true  pirouette.  In  this  way 
we  keep  the  horse  in  hand,  and  we  easily  prevent  him  getting 
behind  the  bit,  which  we  should  always  take  the  utmost 
care  to  do. 

The  absolute  necessity  of  avoiding  any  tendency  in  the 
horse  to  get  behind  his  bit,  makes  it  dangerous  during  the 
first  period  of  breaking  to  teach,  simple  or  reversed  pirouettes, 
which  are  excellent  exercises  for  both  man  and  horse,  when 
they  are  sufficiently  advanced  in  their  education. 

The  reversed  pirouette  has  the  great  fault  of  leaving  the 


ii8  ORDINARY    RIDING. 

shoulders  inert ;    and    the    ordinary  pirouette,  that  of  fixing 
the  hind  quarters  on  the  ground. 

We  cannot  get  a  horse  to  do  a  pirouette,  if  we  drive 
him  forward. 

At  the  beginning  of  breaking  we  should  not  emplo}'  any 
movement  which  will  leave  one  part  of  the  horse  stationary, 
for  the  great  point  is  to  make  the  horse  move  with  his  whole 
body. 

Instead  of  pirouettes,  it  is  better  to  do  ordinar)'  and 
reversed  voltes,  in  \\hich  we  can  alwaj's  press  the  horse  up  to 
his  bridle.  The  volte  is,  in  fact,  onl)"  a  pirouette  described  on 
a  large  circle. 

In  the  reversed  volte,  the  croup  describes  the  great  circum- 
ference. A  horse  which  enlarges  the  circle  has  a  tendency 
to  get  behind  his  bit.  In  the  ordinar}'  volte  the  shoulders 
describe  the  great  circumference.  Then,  if  the  horse 
diminishes  the  siz2  of  the  circle,  he  has  a  tendency  to  get 
behind  his  bit,  to  avoid  which  fault  he  should  be  kept  be- 
tween the  legs.  We  should  ask  him  to  do  only  movements 
which  bring  his  whole  body  into  pla}-,  and  we  should  keep 
pressing  him  forward. 

SCHOOL   WALK. 

When  the  horse  is  well  in  hand  at  the  ^^■alk,  we  can  make 
him  do  the  "school  walk,"  which  is  a  shorter,  lighter,  and 
more  cadenced  pace  than  the  ordinary  walk.  In  it,  the  feet 
are  put  down  in  the  same  succession  as  in  the  trot,  from  which 
it  differs  only  b>'  the  fact  that  its  steps  are  shorter. 

To  obtain  the  school  walk,  ^\•e  should  use  the  legs  energeti- 
cally and  the  hands  moderately  ;  should  make  numerous 
movements  with  the  horse's  whole  body  by  means  of  these 
aids  ;*    and  should  cover  as    little   ground    as    possible,    by 

*  By  this  I  mean  the  movements  of  the  horse  as  a  whole  which  bring  liini  into 
hand,  namely,  to  send  him  by  the  legs  on  the  hand  and  to  send  a  part  of  the 
impulsion  from  the  hand  to  our  legs.  _ 


THE    REIN-BACK.  119 

shortening  the  steps.  Too  long  steps  show  that  the  horse  has 
not  begun  to  collect  himself,  without  doing  which  his  steps 
cannot  be  in  cadence. 

The  school  walk  is  an  excellent  form  of  gymnastics,  in 
which  the  combined  "  aids  "  of  the  rider  bring  all  the  powers 
of  the  horse  into  play.  It  makes  him  supple,  graceful,  light 
and  well  posed  ;  in  other  words,  it  puts  him  into  perfect 
equilibrium,  and  it  prepares  him  finall}'  for  the  artificial  paces, 
and  especially  for  the  rassenibler,  which  of  itself  brings  him 
to  the  passage  and  piaffer. 

I  teach  the  horse  to  do  all  the  changes  of  direction  at  this 
school  walk  ;  but  only  when  he  can  do  them  easily  at  an 
ordinary  walk. 

THE    REIN-BACK. 

People  generally,  when  trying  on  foot  to  make  a  horse 
rein  back,  commit  the  great  fault  of  holding  his  head  as  high 
as  possible  while  pushing  him  back.  The  exact  opposite  of 
this  should  be  done ;  because,  by  raising  the  head  while 
pushing  the  horse  back,  we  overload  the  hind  quarters, 
which  require  to  be  light  in  order  to  perform  this  move- 
ment. 

In  fact,  the  hind  quarters  are  the  first  to  move,  which 
they  cannot  do  freely  if  they  are  overloaded.  Even  if  we 
tr}'  to  push  back  the  horse  onl)'  a  little,  we  will  make  him 
get  behind  his  bit  and  rear,  which  is  a  most  serious  vice. 

To  make  a  horse  rein  back  properly,  we  should,  on  the 
contrary,  put  the  preponderance  of  weight  on  his  shoulders. 
In  order  to  do  this,  I  slightly  lower  the  head  of  the  animal  * 
by  light,  downward  pressures  on  the  snafifie  reins.  ' 

I  stand  directly  facing  the  horse,  and  seize  with  each  hand, 


*  Reining  back  is  the    only   work   during    which  I  put    extra   weight  on  the 
shoulders. 


120  ORDINARY   RIDING. 

close  to  the  mouth,  a  snaffle  rein,  with  which  I  push  him 
back.  I  need  hardly  say  that  in  this  position  the  rein-back 
is  very  easy,  the  horse  being  on  his  forehand  and  his  loins 
and  hocks  relieved.  The  hind  feet,  like  those  in  front,  will  be 
easily  raised  instead  of  being  dragged,  and  when  the  animal 
is  pushed  back  by  the  snaffle  he  will  not  be  able  to  arch 
himself. 

We  ought  to  be  contented  with  two  first  steps  to  the  rear, 
and  should  then  pat  him  on  the  neck  and  bring  him  forward. 
We  should  frequently  recommence  this  work,  which  is  better 
than  prolonging  the  rein-back,  which  at  first  will  fatigue  the 
horse,  who,  not  having  his  loins  and  hocks  suppled,  will  have 
his  joints  more  or  less  stiff  at  this  new  work.  The  more  we 
prolong  the  work,  the  less  will  we  impress  the  memory  of  the 
horse  ;  because  we  do  not  stop  to  pat  him  on  the  neck  and  to 
make  him  understand  that  he  has  done  well.  Finally,  we 
must  bear  in  mind  that  all  work  which  fatigues  the  horse 
discourages  him,  if  he  is  not  brought  up  to  it  by  degrees  and 
prepared  by  successive  suppling  lessons. 

I  never  require  from  a  horse  more  than  ten  or  twelve  steps 
when  reining  back,  and  I  then  bring  him  forward  the  same 
distance,  while  keeping  him  continually  in  hand.  I  never 
make  him  do  this  movement  more  than  three  or  four  times 
consecutively. 

We  rarely  fail  to  obtain  the  rein-back  by  the  means  which 
I  have  described,  and  which  should  be  invariably  combined 
with  great  gentleness. 

It  sometimes  happens  that  the  hor.-e  refuses  to  rein  back, 
either  from  stubbornness  or  from  pain.  I  have  seen  horses 
resist  all  known  means,  even  the  most  violent  ones,  which, 
unfortunately,  are  nearly  always  employed  with  these 
animals. 

In  such  cases  I  stand  directly  facing  the  horse.  I  hold  in 
each  hand  a  snaffle  rein  close  to  the  mouth,  and  I  simply  step 


THE    REIN-BACK.  121 

on  his  feet  while  pressing  him  backwards.  I  have  never  met 
a  horse  which  would  not  yield  to  this  method. 

When  the  horse  reins  back  without  stiffness,  and  with  the 
head  lowered,  I  try  to  make  him  do  the  same  movement  with 
the  head  more  and  more  raised,  for  which  object  I  place 
myself  at  his  shoulder,  and  I  do  the  direct  flexion  in  reining 
back.  I  thus  endeavour  to  obtain  a  very  free  rein-back  with 
the  horse  well  in  hand. 

If  the  horse  reins  back  too  quickly,  in  order  to  escape  from 
the  bit,  I  draw  the  snaffle  reins  forward  so  as  to  make  his 
retrograde  movement  more  slow.  This  is  the  normal  rein- 
back,  for  which  the  preceding  w'ork  is  only  the  preparation. 
It  is  evident  that  if  the  horse  is  ready  to  rein  back  at 
the  very  first  sign  of  the  direct  flexion,  there  will  be  no 
necessity  to  lower  his  head,  and  still  less  to  tread  on  his  feet. 
The  lowering  of  the  head  is  useful  only  to  prevent  him 
getting  behind  his  bit.  I  therefore  do  not  practise  it  unless 
the  animal  shows  signs  of  wanting  to  rein  back. 

When  the  horse  readily  reins  back  by  means  of  direct 
flexion  when  held  by  the  hand,  I  begin  to  put  him  through 
the  same  work  while  on  his  back. 

In  mounted  work  I  do  not  force  the  forehand.  In  fact,  it 
is  dangerous  to  pull  on  the  mouth,  which  action  throws  too 
much  weight  on  the  hind  quarters,  and  may  consequently 
lead  to  his  getting  behind  his  bit  and  rearing.  Also,  I  never 
attempt  the  mounted  rein-back  unless  I  am  certain  that  my 
horse  will  go  freely  forward  by  a  pressure  of  the  legs,  which, 
in  m)'  opinion,  is  the  best  means  of  mobilising  the  hind 
quarters,  and  with  which  I  always  begin  the  rein-back.  I  feel 
the  bit  reins  only  lightly,  in  order  to  make  the  horse  lower 
his  head  after  I  have  halted  him.  I  then  close  my  left  heel, 
and  the  horse,  being  already  obedient  to  the  legs,  raises  his 
near  hind  as  if  he  was  going  to  take  a  step  to  one  side, 
because   he  was  taught    to   give  way  to  the  spur.     At  this 


122  ORDINARY    RIDING. 

instant  I  gentl}-  feel  the  off  snaffle  rein  in  a  backward 
direction,  but  not  to  one  side,  which  would  have  the  effect  of 
turning  his  head.  The  near  hind  foot,  which  is  in  the  air, 
places  itself  firmly  down  on  the  ground  behind  the  off  hind, 
at  the  moment  when  the  off  snaffle  rein  makes  the  off 
shoulder  go  back.  I  then  close  my  right  heel.  At  the  instant 
the  horse  obeys  the  indication  I  give  him — namely,  when 
he  raises  his  off  hind,  as  if  to  take  a  step  to  one  side — I 
utilise  this  moment  to  give  a  backward  pull  on  the  near  snaffle 
rein,  the  off  hind  being  of  necessit}'  placed  in  rear  of  the 
near  hind  at  the  instant  the  near  snaffle  rein  brings  the  left 
shoulder  back. 

Having  obtained  two  steps  of  the  rein  back,  I  am  content, 
and  I  hasten  to  pat  the  horse  on  the  neck  to  show  him  that 
he  has  done  well. 

When  the  horse  has  often  done  two  steps,  and  then  four,  he 
will  be  able  to  rein  back  easily. 

I  do  not  use  spurs  at  the  beginning  of  the  rein-back,  so  as 
to  avoid  exciting  the  animal  unless  he  is  ver}-  sluggish  and 
does  not  answer  readily  to  the  legs. 

I  have  just  shown  the  way  to  proceed  at  the  beginning, 
when  teaching  a  horse  to  rein  back.  But  we  must  not 
conclude  that  we  should  always  continue  the  same  effects  of 
the  legs  separately.  That  would,  in  fact,  make  the  horse 
swa}'  his  bod}'  from  right  to  left,  which  would  be  wrong, 
because,  when  he  reins  back,  he  should  alwa}-s  remain  as 
straight  as  he  does  when  he  goes  forward.  When  the  horse 
understands  the  movement,  and  when  he  can  easily  take  his 
first  steps  backwards,  we  should  use  both  reins  and  both  legs. 
The  rein-back  will  then  be  correct  ;  and  if  the  haunches  have 
a  tendency  to  deviate  out  of  the  straight  line,  we  can  easil}- 
straighten  them  b}'  pressing  a  little  more  strongly  with  the 
leg  of  the  side  towards  which  the  croup  deviates,  than  with 
the  other  \e<z. 


EQUESTRIAN   TACT.  123 

When  I  say  that  I  use  a  certain  rein  or  a  certain  leg,  I 
mean  the  leg  or  rein  which  ought  to  have  the  stronger  action. 
During  the  entire  work  both  reins  should  be  lightly  felt,  and 
both  legs  ought  to  be  kept  close  to  the  side.  Continual 
co-operation  ought  always  to  exist  between  the  hands  and  legs. 

It  is  certain  that  a  horse  can  rein  back  without  the  help  of 
the  diagonal  aids,  and  that  a  rider  who  knows  nothing  about 
the  principles  which  I  have  just  enunciated,  can  make  him  do 
so.  But  he  will  never  succeed  in  having  his  horse  in  hand, 
with  the  head  high,  as  if  he  were  going  forward,  the  hind  legs 
being  raised  as  high  as  the  fore  ones,  and,  above  all  things, 
\\ith  the  points  of  the  buttocks  not  further  to  the  rear  than 
the  hocks.*  We  should  thoroughl}^  understand  that  these 
conditions  are  essential  in  retrograde  movements. 

THE    "  RAMENER,"   COLLECTION,    "  RASSEMBLER,"    AND 
EQUESTRL\N    TACT. 

Before  going  further,  we  may  recapitulate  as  follows  the 
results  we  have  obtained  :  The  horse  carries  himself  very 
freely  forward  on  the  legs  being  brought  close  to  his  sides  ; 
he  correctly  does  the  direct  and  lateral  flexions  of  the  jaw  ; 
is  well  in  hand  ;  yields  immediately  to  the  action  of  each  leg  ; 
easily  executes  the  respective  rotations  of  the  haunches  and 
shoulders  ;  and  performs  all  the  changes  of  direction  with 
facility. 

It  must  be  well  understood  that  during  all  the  time  m}' 
horse  does  these  suppling  exercises  while  I  am  on  foot,  I  had 
also  given  him  the  same  work  mounted,  and  that  I  only  seek 
b\'  general  effects  to  confirm  and  improve  the  results  obtained 
on  foot. 

Respecting  flexions  and  collection  when  mounted,  I  ought 
to  remark  that  it  is  more  easy  to  profit  by  acquired 
propulsion  than  to  create   it.      B}'  this  I  mean  that,  if  I  am  at 

*  If  this  condition  is  not  fulfilled  the  horse  will  be  behind  the  bit. 


124  ORDINARY   RIDING. 

the  walk,  I  have  two  things  to  do,  namely,  first,  to  create 
impulsion  by  the  legs ;  and,  second,  to  make  the  horse  do 
direct  or  lateral  flexion.  At  the  end  of  a  turn  at  the  trot  and 
canter  I  am,  on  the  contrary,  full  of  impulsion,  and  to  get  the 
horse  in  hand  I  need  only  a  fingering  of  the  reins  (in  direct 
or  lateral  flexion),  while  keeping  the  legs  close  to  the  sides. 
Under  these  conditions  there  is  no  risk  of  the  horse  getting 
behind  his  bit,  and  he  then  comes  most  easily  to  hand.* 

We  now  come  to  the  ramener,  collection,  and  rassembler. 

If  the  ramener  and  collection  belong  to  ordinary  riding,  the 
rassembler  pertains  only  to  scientific  equitation.  I  therefore 
crave  the  forbearance  of  my  readers  for  discussing  at  present 
the  rassembler,  which  is  the  last  stage  of  the  general  effects,  of 
which  the  ramener  at  first,  and  subsequently  the  collection, 
are  only  the  beginning. 

The  word  ramener,  which  is  borrowed  from  Baucher,  means 
nothing  else  than  direct  flexion. 

The  ramener  is  only  the  first  part  of  getting  the  horse  in 
hand,  and  signifies  that  the  horse's  head  is  high,  his  head 
perpendicular,  and  that  he  champs  and  plays  with  his  bit, 
when  the  rider  feels  it  by  means  of  the  reins  ;  but  owing  to 
deficient  impulsion  he  is  not  light  in  hand.  The  effect 
obtained  is  localised  in  the  jaw  and  in  the  upper  part  of  the 
neck.  It  is  therefore  only  partial  and  leaves  the  general 
equilibrium  incomplete.  It  is  the  first  step  towards  perfect 
distribution  of  weight ;  collecting  the  horse  is  the  second,  as  I 
have  just  said  ;  and  the  rassembler  is  the  last.  I  mention  the 
ramener  only  out  of  respect  for  the  authority  of  Baucher, 
who,   working  on   the  horse  while  standing  still,  brought  him 

*  When  the  horse  will  not  obey  the  diagonal  effects,  it  is  an  excellent  lesson 
for  him  to  finish  the  trot  or  canter  by  a  well-marked  lateral  flexion,  with  the 
opposite  leg  very  close  and  with  great  impulsion.  The  direct  flexion  is  made 
naturally,  if  the  time  of  halting  is  correct  ;  because  we  ought  to  stop  the  horse 
between  the  legs  and  hands  (with  both  legs  close)  when  he  is  full  of  forward 
movement. 


EQUESTRIAN    TACT.  125 

back  {rainener) ;  but  I  try  to  obtain  direct  flexion  only  during 
forward  movement,  which  at  once  enables  me  to  get  the 
horse  in  hand.  I  therefore  exclude  from  my  vocabulary 
the  word  ranioicr,  which  indicates  a  backward  action,  and  is 
therefore  entirely  opposed  to  my  system  of  riding.* 

Direct  flexion  should  always  be  preceded,  sustained,  and 
completed  by  the  action  of  the  legs  pressing  the  hind  quarters 
on  the  forehand. 

The  legs  ought  to  take  and  give  like  the  hands,  and  with 
the  hands,  that  is  to  say,  simultaneously  and  in  the  same  pro- 
portion. This  constitutes  general  movement.  If  the  hands 
give  and  the  legs  continue  their  action,  the  horse  will  be  out 
of  ] land,  because  the  propulsion  developed  by  the  legs  will  no 
longer  be  received  by  the  hands.  If  the  hands  act  without 
the  legs  sending  them  any  impulsion,  the  horse  will  bring  his 
chin  into  his  breast  or  will  get  behind  his  bit ;  because  his 
hocks  have  been  left  too  far  behind  him.  The  expression 
"  take  and  give,"  as  I  have  explained  it  when  speaking  of 
direct  flexion,  therefore  applies  as  well  to  the  action  of  the 
legs  as  to  that  of  the  hands.  Legs  and  hands  should  always 
act  in  harmony,  according  to  the  desired  result.  We  get  the 
horse  in  hand  by  this  combination  of  the  alternate  actions  of 
the  legs  and  hands  acting  on  the  whole. 

Getting  the  horse  in  hand,  which  is  an  excellent  term  of  the 
old  school,  is  the  result  of  equilibrium  during  propulsion, 
obtained  and  preserved  by  direct  flexion,  resulting  from  the 
action  of  the  legs  impelling  the  hind  quarters  on  to  the  fore- 
hand. Here  wc  are  in  the  best  conditions  of  good  horseman- 
ship. The  hind  legs,  being  well  under  the  body,  drive  it 
forw'ard  and  maintain  equilibrium  by  the  high  position  of  the 

*  A  sluggish  horse  which  does  not  go  up  to  his  bridle,  and  which  answers 
badly  to  the  action  of  the  legs,  would  be  ramejiil'd  if  his  neck  was  bent  at  the 
withers  according  to  the  system  of  Baucher.  The  raniener  never  conduces  to 
good  equilibrium,  but  on  the  contrary  destroys  it,  and  does  not  help  to  get  the 
horse  in  hand. 


126  ORDINARY    RIDING. 

neck.*  The  momentum  of  the  mass  ends  at  the  bit,  namely, 
at  the  end  of  the  arm  of  the  lever  (of  which  the  flexibility 
from  front  to  rear  increases  from  rear  to  front),  whence  the 
hand  of  the  rider  sends  back,  in  its  turn,  the  amount  necessary 
to  maintain  equilibrium,*!-  towards  the  hind  quarters,  which  by 
a  fresh  spring  again  impels  all  the  mass  forward  ;  and  so  on- 
This  horse  is  thus  truly  in  hand.:J:  In  my  opinion,  he  ought 
at  the  same  time  be  on  the  hand.  The  horse  is  on  the  hand 
when,  being  in  direct  flexion,  he  closes  his  jaw  on  the  bit  from 
time  to  time,  so  as  to  remain  in  constant  communication  with 
the  hand  of  the  rider.  || 

*  When  the  hind  legs  are  well  under  the  body,  the  croup  is  low,  and  con- 
sequently the  forehand  is  high. 

t  Naturally,  the  greater  part  of  the  force  of  propulsion  is  employed  to  send  the 
horse  forward. 

I  People  often  make  the  mistake  of  saying  that  a  horse  which  "  cracks  nuts  " 
is  well  in  hand. 

Ahorse  that  "  cracks  nuts,"  continually  snaps  with  his  teeth,  whatever  may 
be  the  position  of  the  neck,  but  more  often  when  it  is  high.  It  is  true  that  this 
horse  is  light,  but  he  is  not  in  hand.  For  a  horse  to  be  in  hand  he  should  obey 
the  indications  of  the  hands  on  the  reins,  which  he  cannot  do  unless  he  lets  go  the 
bit.  A  horse  which  "  cracks  nuts  "  gives  himself  up  to  this  trick,  but  he  never 
releases  the  bit.  Nevertheless,  the  mobility  of  the  jaw  caused  by  this  habit  is  a 
proof  that  the  horse  does  not  stiffen  his  jaw,  and  he  is  therefore  always  light.  From 
which  we  can  conclude  that  the  horse  which  "cracks  nuts"  is  generally  well 
balanced.  For  all  ordinary  riding  he  has  a  sufficiently  delicate  mouth,  but  if  we 
want  to  do  high-school  work  with  him,  it  is  indispensable  that  he  should  champ 
and  yield  to  the  bit  each  time  the  rider  requires  him  to  do  so,  that  is  to  say,  he 
should  be  in  hand.  For  that  object  it  is  absolutely  necessary  that  he  should  be 
made  to  give  up  his  nut-cracking  trick,  by  progressive  and  rigidly  correct  flexions. 
We  will  thus  succeed  little  by  little  in  making  him  release  the  bit  and  get  into 
hand. 

I  wish  to  draw  my  readers'  particular  attention  to  the  following  important  dis- 
tinction :  When  the  horse  "  cracks  nuts  "  he  retains  command  of  his  lower  jaw  ; 
but  when  he  is  in  hand,  the  rider  has  control  over  it. 

\  The  horse  which  pulls  at  the  hand  is  not  on  ihe  hand ;  he  is  beyond  it. 
When  a  horse  which  is  on  the  /i^wrf  seeks  to  force  it  and  go  beyond  it,  we  should, 
according  to  Baucher's  teaching,  pull  him  up,  put  him  into  flexion,  and  set  off 
again.  My  advice  is  to  press  him  up  to  the  hand  by  an  energetic  use  of  the  legs, 
at  the  risk  of  upsetting  him,  and  I  thus  succeed  in  getting  him  into  hand  by 
impulsion. 


>*. 


EQUESTRIAN    TACT.  127 

Finally,  the  horse  comes  up  again  on  the  hand  when  the 
impulsion  communicated  by  the  legs  brings  the  hocks  strongly 
under  the  animal's  body  and  sends  him  freely  on  the  bit' 
which  is  possible  only  when  the  horse  is  in  hand  to  a 
maximum  extent,  which  form  of  control  is  the  rassenibler. 
It  is  necessary  that  the  tension  of  the  reins  is  light  enough  to 
allow  the  propulsion  to  pass,  but  great  enough  to  establish 
contact  between  the  bit  and  the  hand,  and  to  give  us  the 
feeling  that  as  the  impulsion  comes  freely  on  the  hand,  we  can 
dispose  of  it  as  we  like. 

As  the  neck  in  this  case  is  necessarily  high,  and  as  the 
action  of  the  horse  is  lofty,  the  meaning  of  the  expression, 
"  the  horse  comes  up  to  the  hand,"  is  perfectly  clear. 

We  can  now  understand  what  is  meant  by  the  horse  being 
between  the  Jiands  and  legs,  both  of  which  send  back  impul- 
sion to  each  other,  so  as  to  preserve  equilibrium  while  going 
forward. 

The  school  horse  should  be  completely  enclosed  betzveen  the 
hands  and  legs ;  and  the  hack  should  be  in  front  of  the  legs 
and  on  the  hands,  so  that  he  can  lean  a  little  with  the  bars 
of  his  mouth  at  fast  paces.  The  horse  which  does  not 
answer  to  the  legs  is  behind  the  legs.  He  has  too  much 
weight  on  his  haunches  ;    in  other  words,  he  is  behind  the  bit. 

Every  horse  is  not  capable  of  being  perfectly  rassenible'd, 
which  is  the  extreme  limit  of  being  in  hand ;  but  every  horse 
ought  to  be  trained  to  get  into  hand  with  good  equilibrium, 
no  matter  what  may  be  the  work  for  which  he  is  required. 

The  hack,  hunter,  charger,  and  even  the  carriage  horse, 
acquires  a  good  position  only  by  being  got  into  hand,  in 
which  case  the  equilibrium  is  straight  or  horizontal.* 

It  is  generally  thought  that  the  object  of  getting  a  horse 

*  Straight  or  horizontal  equilibrium  is  the  distribution  of  weight  for  a  hack, 
and  is  between  that  of  the  race-horse,  which  is  too  much  on  his  forehand,  and 
that  of  the  school  horse,  which  is  too  much  on  his  haunches. 


128  ORDINARY   RIDING. 

in  hand  is  to  give  him  a  fine  carriage,  which  no  doubt  is 
valuable,  but  is  its  smallest  advantage.  Equilibrium,  which 
is  the  result  of  getting  the  horse  in  hand,  gives  mobility, 
namely,  the  facility  of  instantly  doing,  without  effort  or 
fatigue,  every  required  movement  at  all  paces.  i\lso,  this 
equilibrium  keeps  the  horse  sound  during  severe  work  ; 
because  it  requires  from  each  part  of  the  horse  only  those 
efforts  which  come  naturally  to  him.  We  thus  avoid  wearing 
the  animal  out  prematurely  ;  because  no  special  strain  is  put 
on  any  particular  organ. 

If  army  horses  were  sufficiently  suppled  b)-  a  first  course 
of  breaking,  and  if  the  soldiers  who  ride  them  understood 
equestrian  equilibrium,  and  knew  how  to  take  advantage  of 
opportunities,  our  cavalry  would  gain  in  appearance,  firmness 
of  seat,  and  staying  power.  The  men  \\'ould  ha\-e  more 
confidence  in  themselves  and  their  horses,  and  they  would 
be  more  active,  more  skilful  and  more  energetic.  The  horses 
would  stand  more  work,  and  they  and  the  government  budget 
would  be  relieved  from  needless  expense. 

We  must  not  think  that  the  horse  should  be  always  kept 
in  hand.  I  certainly  do  not  advise  that  this  should  be  done 
the  whole  time  one  is  hacking,  hunting,  foraging  or  charging. 
So  far  from  that,  I  am  the  resolute  enemy  of  keeping  the 
horse  always  collected.  We  should  know  how  to  be  able  to 
get  the  horse  in  hand,  whenever  we  wish  to  do  so,  and  at 
all  paces  ;  but  only  from  time  to  time,  and  when  occasion 
demands.  It  is  of  the  utmost  necessity  at  certain  moments 
of  difficulty,  as,  for  instance,  when  we  think  the  horse  is 
going  to  play  up,  and  when  the  animal,  from  fatigue,  softness 
of  constitution,  or  some  other  cause,  goes  in  a  lumbering, 
unconnected  manner.  Getting  him  into  hand  restores  his 
balance  and  is  of  great  use  in  every  respect. 

As  I  have  already  said,  all  horses  can  be  got  into  hand,  but 
only  some  are  sufficiently  well  shaped  to  be  rassemb/c'd. 


EQUESTRIAN    TACT.  129 

The  rassenibler,  which  is  the  act  of  getting  a  horse  into 
hand  to  a  maximum  extent,  is  the  complete  equihbrium  of 
the  animal  in  all  his  movements.  It  is  the  perfect  form  of 
collecting  the  well-suppled  horse.  In  it  the  loins,  hind- 
quarters and  hocks  are  flexible ;  the  hocks  stoutly  press  the 
mass  forward  ;  the  shoulders  are  free  and  movable  ;  the  neck  is 
high  and  the  jaw  readily  obeys  the  feeling  of  the  rider's  hands 
on  the  reins,  and  all  the  parts  of  the  horse  being  in  action 
and  equalh'  enterprising,  combine  to  form  an  energetic, 
harmonious  and  light  whole.  The  equilibrium  is  so  perfect 
and  so  unstable,  that  the  rider  feels  that  he  can  make  his 
horse  do  whatever  he  desires  by  the  slightest  indication 
of  his  wishes.  Both  of  them,  so  to  speak,  are  in  the  air. 
They  are  ready  to  fly  ! 

How  can  we  succeed  in  bringing  to  perfection  and  in 
refining  the  art  of  getting  a  horse  into  hand,  so  as  to  obtain 
this  ideal  of  equilibrium  ? 

If  we  have  well  understood  the  action  of  collecting  a  horse, 
and  the  coming  and  going  of  the  forces  of  the  legs  to  the 
hands,  and  of  the  hands  to  the  legs,  we  will  remember  that 
the  hands  allow  the  amount  of  impulsion  necessary  to  the 
forward  progress  of  the  mass  to  pass,  and  throw  back 
towards  the  hind  quarters  only  the  amount  of  impulsion 
required  to  preserve  balance.  This  is  obtained  by  the  delicate 
and  constant  play  of  the  fingers,  which  may  be  compared 
to  the  fingering  of  a  piano  as  regards  delicacy  and  speed. 

The  question  is  :  what  proportion  of  the  force  ought  the 
hand  allow  to  pass  through  it,  and  what  proportion  ought  it 
retain  ?  We  should  measure  this  proportion  with  absolute 
precision  at  each  stride,  by  the  correct  combination  of  the 
"  aids,"  so  as  to  send  to  the  hind  quarters  only  the  amount  of 
force  necessary  to  maintain  equilibrium  with  a  maximum  of 
propulsion.  Equestrian  tact  consists  in  doing  this.  If  the 
fingers    do    not   work    with  enough    decision,    the   centre    of 

9 


I30  ORDINARY   RIDING. 

gravity  will  be  carried  to  the  front  a  little  too  much,  and  the 
horse  will  be  ready  to  go  beyond  the  hand.  If  they  act  too 
strongly,  too  much  weight  will  be  put  on  the  hind  quarters, 
and  the  hocks  will  be  brought  too  far  back.  In  both  cases 
there  will  be  no  rasseuibhr.  The  fingering  of  the  reins 
should  regulate  with  absolute  precision  the  distribution  of 
the  propulsion.*  We  have  to  solve  this  problem  at 
each  stride,  which  is  not  identical  to  the  preceding  one  or  to 
the  following  one.     Here  is  the  end  we  have  sought. 

We  can  succeed  by  work  and  perseverance  to  get  the  horse 
in  hand  in  a  manner  which  approaches  the  rasscnibUr,  and 
even  to  occasionally  obtain  the  rasseinbler  ;  but  very  few 
riders  can  keep  up  the  rassembler  by  a  scientific  fingering 
of  the  reins.*f- 

*  In  order  that  the  rider  may  properly  feel  his  horse — that  is  to  say,  when  the 
rassembler  is  perfect — the  harmony  and  union  between  him  and  his  animal 
should  be  such  that  the  force  of  propulsion  and  the  effects  of  the  whole  should 
be  transmitted  without  intermission  or  interruption. 

The  propulsion  and  the  effects  which  the  whole  sends  from  the  rider  to  the 
horse,  and  from  the  horse  to  the  rider,  are  like  an  elastic  ball.  The  spur,  so  to 
speak,  goes  to  seek  for  this  ball  in  the  hind  legs  of  the  horse,  and  makes  it 
come  up  close  to  the  heels  of  the  rider,  whence,  passing  by  the  seat,  it  ascends  to  the 
withers,  follows  the  upper  part  of  the  neck  to  the  poll,  falls  into  the  mouth,  where 
the  hands  receive  it,  and,  following  the  lower  part  of  the  neck,  it  returns  to  its 
starting  point,  where  it  is  picked  up  and  sent  on  again  by  the  legs.  Therefore, 
this  ball  continually  goes  round  a  circuit  when  the  horse  is  rasseinblSA.  To  make 
this  comparison  perfectly  exact,  we  should  say  that  it  is  a  football  which  leaves  the 
legs  and  arrives  at  the  mouth,  and  a  billiard  ball  which  comes  back. 

t  It  is  impossible,  to  obtain  and  preserve  a  good  rassembler  unless  the  horse 
has  been  kept  perfectly  straight  during  his  course  of  breaking.  If  we  do  not 
succeed  in  holding  the  animal  in  this  straight  line,  which  begins  at  the  poll  and 
finishes  at  the  tail,  the  horse  will  escape  being  rassewble'd.  If  any  part  deviates 
— haunches,  shoulders,  or  jaw  yielding  laterally,  instead  of  yielding  in  a  straight 
line — the  result  will  be  spoiled  propulsion,  and  without  complete  propulsion 
there  can  be  no  7-assembler. 

Being  able  to  feel  that  the  horse  is  straight  is  the  first  manifestation  of  eques- 
trian tact.  The  moment  the  slightest  deviation  is  perceived,  the  legs  send  the 
hind-quarters  to  each  other,  whilst  the  effects  of  the  hand,  which  combine  with 
the  effects  of  the  legs,  straighten  the  forehand.  At  this  moment  the  rider 
succeeds  in  getting  the  equestrian  feeling  {equestrian  tact)  by  the  more  or  less 
fine  perception  of  the  succassive  positions  of  the  forehand  and  hind  quarters, 
until  the  animal  is  perfectly  straight. 


EQUESTRIAN   TACT.  131 

Although  I  have  ridden  horses  for  fifty  years,  I  did  not 
obtain  perfect  rassembler  until  the  last  ten  years.  It  is 
true  that  I  worked  for  a  long  time  according  to  the  somewhat 
inexact  data  of  Baucher.  But  the  fact  is  that  for  many 
years  I  continually  felt  the  rassembler  escape  me,  by  the  dis- 
placement of  the  centre  of  gravity,  whether  to  the  front  or  to 
the  rear.  I  had  to  greatly  refine  my  tact  and  consequently 
my  "  aids  "  to  obtain  the  complete  rassembler,  and  to  preserve 
it  with  a  maximum  amount  of  propulsion. 

But  this  is  not  all.  There  are  not  only  direct  movements, 
but  also  those  to  the  side  and  when  turning.  In  these  move- 
ments one  leg  always  predominates,  in  which  case  the 
impulsion  which  comes  on  the  bit  is  not  equally  distributed 
between  the  two  hands.  The  right  leg  throws  more 
impulsion  on  the  left  hand,  and  vice  versa.  It  is  therefore 
necessary,  in  order  to  preserve  equilibrium  in  turning  to  the 
left,  that  the  left  hand,  while  remaining  bound  to  the  right 
hand,  sends  back  to  the  centre  a  larger  amount  of  force, 
which  is  all  the  more  difficult  to  measure  ;  because  this  hand, 
while  keeping  up  the  rassembler,  has  to  regulate  the  change  of 
direction.* 

If  we  now  reflect  that  in  all  work  of  equitation,  the  horse, 
whether  going  forward  or  keeping  himself  back,  constantly 
tries  to  escape  to  the  right  or  to  the  left,  by  his  haunches 
or  shoulders,  we  will  see  that  in  order  to  maintain  perfect 
equilibrium  we  have  to  simultaneously  perceive  all  the  actions 
of  the  horse  and  all  those  which  are  being  prepared,  so  as  to 
combine  them  by  opposing  them,  by  the  simultaneous  action 
of  the  "  aids,"  and  to  produce  from  them  the  desired 
ideal    of  equilibrium. 

I  said  a  short  time  ago  that  the  rassembler  in  direct  move- 

*  The  difficulty  is  so  great  that  Baucher  acknowledges  that  the  "  lightness  " 
(read  rassembler)  escaped  him  in  changes  of  direction.  The  fault  was  less  his, 
than  that  of  the  bad  position  of  the  neck  which  I  have  pointed  out. 

9* 


132  ORDINARY   RIDING. 

ment  is  the  end  of  equitation.  The  continual  rassejnbler, 
not  only  in  side  movements  and  turning,  but  in  all  movements, 
whatever  may  be  their  combinations,  is  the  supreme  refine- 
ment of  riding — the  full  possession  of  the  ideal.  Thus  the  two 
organisms  are  so  combined  that  the  man  is  one  with  his  horse  ; 
the  former  perceives  the  efforts  of  the  latter  so  directly  and 
rapidly  that  each  action  of  the  man  responds  so  surely  and 
rapidly  to  a  corresponding  action  of  the  horse,  that  the 
animal  expects  it,  and  lends  himself  to  it  instantaneously. 
Then  the  horse  has  only  reflex  actions.  The  only  brain  he 
has  is  that  of  his  rider.  I  am  right  in  saying  that  it  is  the 
ideal  of  which  we  dream. 

How  can  we  obtain  this  tact,  this  keenness  of  perception, 
this  refined  and  rapid  feeling  of  all  the  efforts  of  the  horse 
in  every  degree,  preparing  the  efforts  which  are  going  to 
follow  ?  This  cannot  be  taught  in  a  book.  For  these  faculties 
we  require  practice,  work,  and,  above  all  things,  natural 
aptitude  and  love  for  horses. 

By  his  seat  and  legs  the  rider  ought  to  feel  with  absolute 
certainty  everything  that  goes  on  under  him,  as  for  instance, 
if  the  hocks  are  brought  more  or  less  under  the  centre,  or  if 
they  remain  behind  ;  what  legs  are  raised,  and  to  what  height, 
and  if  the  croup  is  going  to  deviate  from  the  straight  line. 

By  his  hands  and  legs,  helped  by  his  eyes,  the  rider  ought 
to  be  able  to  feel  the  actions  and  above  all  things  the  tenden- 
cies of  the  jaw,  head,  neck,  and  shoulders.  As  the  forehand 
begins  the  movements  desired  by  the  animal,  we  can  say  that 
"  the  hand  ought  to  feel  the  ideas  of  the  horse.""^ 

*  High  school  work  naturally  demands  very  complicated  efforts  wliich 
the  rider  ought  to  feel  on  account  of  the  precision  which  it  requires. 

The  most  difficult  effort  to  perceive  is  that  which  is  called  "the  magpie 
f  jump,"  which  the  horse  makes  by  simultaneously  placing  his  two  hind  feet  on 
the  ground,  so  as  to  relieve  himself.  When  the  movement  is  softly  made  and 
the  pasterns  bend,  it  is  difficult  to  catch.  However,  if  we  allow  a  horse  to  con- 
tract this  habit,  he  will  lose  all  regularity  of  action. 


SIDE   STEPS   AND   TWO    TRACKS.  133 

Thus  the  rider  will  have  the  feeling  of  the  complete  equili- 
brium of  the  horse,  and  the  free  disposal  of  his  forces  at  any 
moment. 

I  cannot  say  more  on  this  subject,  except  to  advise  my 
readers  to  devote  themselves  to  practice.* 

SIDE   STEPS   AND   TWO   TRACKS. 

I  was  obliged  to  discuss  the  rassembler,  which  belongs  to 
scientific  riding,  when  referring  to  collecting  a  horse,  which 
subject  leads  up  to  the  rassembler.  I  have  even  to  speak  at 
the  same  time  of  the  side  step  and  the  "  two  tracks,"  because 
these  two  movements  are  closely  connected  ;  although  the 
former  pertains  to  ordinary  riding,i-  the  latter  belongs  ex- 
clusively to  high  school  riding. 

The  first  remark  to  make,  is  that  in  side  steps — and  still 
more  in  the  "  two  tracks,"  because  the  speed  is  faster — the 
rider  ought  to  freely  carry  his  weight  to  the  side  towards 
which  the  horse  is  proceeding.  The  necessity  of  this  is 
emphasised  by  the  fact  that  the  side  movement  of  the 
horse  naturally  displaces  the  rider  towards  the  side  away 
from  which  the  animal  is  going.  Consequently,  when  the 
side  movement  is  rapid,  the  rider  can  be  very  easily  thrown 
off  to  the  side  away  from  which  the  movement  is  made. 
Therefore  the  rider  ought  to  lean  to  the  left,  on  the  saddle 
and  stirrup,  during  side  steps  from  right  to  left.  This  position, 
which  unites  the  rider  to  the  horse,  by  giving  them  the  same 
impulse,    has    the    further   advantage   of  relieving   the  right 

*  Pictures  of  a  rassenibWA.  horse  cari  be  seen  in  photographs  in  this  book. 
I  attach  great  importance  to  these  photographs,  because  they  are  free  from  all 
trickery.  If  we  study  them  with  attention,  we  will  see  even  in  the  most 
energetic  school  work,  that  my  horse  maintains  straight  or  horizontal  equilibrium. 
In  ordinary  school  equilibrium,  the  horse  is  often  too  much  on  his  haunches. 
The  great  impulsion  which  I  try  to  obtain  always  keeps  my  horse  in  horizontal 
equilibrium,  however  high  the  action  of  his  fore  legs  may  be. 

t  The  great  utility  of  this  movement  is  that  it  enables  us  to  place  our  horses 
where  we  like,  and  at  all  paces,  when  liding  in  the  open. 


134  ORDINARY    RIDING. 

shoulder,  which  has  more  ground  to  cover  than  the  left  one. 
We  require  a  certain  amount  of  practice  to  attain  this  result ; 
because,  as  I  have  already  said,  the  side  movement  of  the 
horse  naturally  puts  the  rider  into  the  opposite  position. 
I  never  begin  to  teach  the  side  steps  when  the  horse  is  going 
along  the  wall,  which  would  uselessly  increase  the  difficulty, 
by  the  want  of  impulse  resulting  from  the  change  in  direction. 
By  removing  the  horse  from  the  wall,  I  forcibly  stop  his 
forward  movement, 

I  make  the  horse  do  the  first  side  steps  at  the  end  of  a 
change  of  hand,  from  right  to  left  for  instance.  I  am  on  the 
track,  going  to  the  left,  with  the  wall  to  the  right.  On 
arriving  near  to  the  wall  which,  at  the  end  of  the  change 
of  hand,  will  be  to  my  left,  I  carry  both  hands  to  the  left, 
while  closing  the  legs  and  acting  vigorously  with  the  right 
leg.  The  near  snaffle  rein  draws  to  the  left,  and  the  off  rein 
applied  against  the  neck,  presses  the  shoulders  equally  to  the 
left.  We  can  see  that  these  are  absolutely  the  same  "  aids  " 
as  those  for  the  rotation  of  the  shoulders,  although  the  move- 
ment is  made  while  gaining  more  ground  to  the  front.  If 
the  horse  resists  the  right  leg,  I  have  recourse  to  the  off  rein, 
to  make  him  carry  his  haunches  to  the  left.*  Even  if  the 
animal  makes  only  two  or  three  side  steps,  I  am  content  with 
his  progress,  I  pat  him  on  the  neck,  and  slacken  the  reins. 

After  that,  I  make  the  horse  do  a  change  of  hand  from  left 
to  right  when  leaving  the  wall,  which  is  on  my  left.  While 
thus  going  obliquely,  I  hold  him  as  straight  as  possible,  and 
when  I  arrive  near  to  the  wall,  which  will  be  on  my  right, 
I  carry  my  hand  to  the  right  and  I  apply  the  left  leg,  while 
pressing  him  up  to  the  hand  by  means  of  both  legs.  I  may 
add    that    the  hand    ought    to    profit    by   the    supplemental 

*  In  other  words,  I  have  recourse,  as  I  always  do,  to  lateral  equitation,  in  case 
of  resistance  proceeding  from  the  incomplete  education  of  the  horse.  But  at  the 
stage  of  breaking  to  which  we  have  arrived,  his  education  ought  to  be  sufficiently 
advanced  for  diagonal  equitation  to  give  us  all  its  results. 


SIDE   STEPS   AND   TWO   TRACKS.  135 

impulse,  to  transform  the  forward  movement  into  a  movement 
from  left  to  right,  with  the  least  possible  resistance  * 

I  continue  this  work  for  a  sufficiently  long  time,  and 
accentuate  it  according  to  the  progress  obtained,  by  which 
I  ^\•ish  to  say,  that  at  first  I  am  content  to  make  the  horse 
take  two  or  three  side  paces.  Later  on,  w^hen  he  gets  more 
expert,  I  require  more  from  him,  always  at  the  moment  when 
we  arrive  close  to  the  wall,  so  as  to  obtain  five  or  six  side 
steps.  Further  on,  I  begin  the  side  steps  at  the  middle  of 
the  school,  so  that  I  can  make  him  do  twelve  or  fifteen  steps. 
I  finally  make  him  do  the  shoulder-in.f 

*  Energetic  impulse  is  the  first  condition  of  correctly  executed  work  on  two 
tracks.  It  results  from  the  firm  support  of  the  inward  leg,  providing  that  the 
outward  leg  has  a  predominant  action. 

If,  during  v/ork  on  two  tracks,  the  inward  hind  leg  of  the  horse  is  carried  away 
from  the  body  instead  of  being  brought  under  its  centre — as  would  be  the  case  if 
there  was  sufficient  impulsion — the  horse  will  be  inclined  to  get  behind  his  bit ;  the 
cause  of  this  fault  being  the  insufficient  energy  of  the  inward  leg  of  the  rider, 
the  action  of  which  ought  to  be  supplemented  by  a  corresponding  action  of  the 
outward  leg. 

t  I  do  not  put  the  horse's  shoulder  to  the  wall  until  he  has  been  well  trained. 
A  horse  has  only  too  great  a  tendency  to  allow  himself  to  be  guided  by  the  wall, 
instead  of  giving  himself  up  exclusively  to  the  "aids."  I  greatly  dislike  con- 
tinual work  close  to  the  wall.  If  the  horse  is  straight  and  limits  himself 
to  following  the  wall,  whatever  the  pace  may  be,  he  will  let  himself  be  guided 
by  this  permanent  obstacle,  much  more  than  by  the  rider's  "aids."  He  will 
even  take  a  kind  of  moral  support  from  it,  and  his  natural  tendency  will  always  be 
to  slightly  carry  away  his  croup,  and  to  get  the  shoulder  close  to  the  wall  ;  hence 
the  difficulty  of  holding  him  straight,  and  of  keeping  him  well  between 
the  legs. 

In  movements  on  two  tracks,  the  wall  leads  the  horse  so  well  and  helps  him  so 
much  in  keeping  his  shoulders  in  the  proper  direction,  that  he  quickly  begins  to 
shave  the  wall  too  closely,  which  often  becomes  a  "  defence  "  on  his  part. 

If  we  remove  the  horse  from  the  wall,  we  will  be  obliged  to  direct  the 
shoulders  with  the  hand,  which  ought  to  be  the  only  guide.  If  the  horse,  when 
doing  the  shoulder-in,  gets  behind  the  bit,  and  brings  his  hind  quarters  too 
close  to  the  wall,  we  should  stop  the  movement  on  two  tracks  without  changing 
the  position  of  the  horse,  should  push  him  forward  with  the  legs,  and  make  him 
go  down  the  centre  of  the  school.  No  exercise  is  better  than  this  to  give  impulse 
in  the  movement  on  two  tracks,  and  to  make  the  horse  independent  of  the 
wall. 


136  ORDINARY   RIDING. 

The  number  of  side  steps  which  we  succeed  in  ob- 
taining is  of  little  consequence.  The  essential  thing  is  to 
see  that  the  horse  is  well  placed — the  shoulders  being  always 
more  advanced  than  the  croup — which  is  the  only  position 
that  facilitates  the  side  movement.     Position  is  everything. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  work  I  try  to  give  cadence  to  the 
horse,  but  only  at  the  moment  I  am  going  to  get  him  to  do 
side  steps.  By  the  expression  "  to  give  cadence  to  the  horse," 
I  mean  the  school  walk.  At  this  pace  a  horse  has  great  mobility, 
and  the  side  movement  is  made  more  easy,  because  the  fore 
legs  and  hind  legs  can  move  more  readily,  without  touching 
each  other,  which  is  impossible  at  the  ordinary  walk.* 

Up  to  this,   I   have  purposely  used  the  expression    "  side 

We  are  never  completely  master  of  a  horse  which  we  have  allowed  to  contract 
the  habit  of  always  keeping  close  to  the  wall,  which  is  a  bad  preparation  for 
riding  in  the  open,  and  also  for  high  school  work,  the  first  condition  of  which  is 
that  the  horse  should  be  always  between  the  legs  of  the  rider,  or,  to  speak  more 
precisely,  should  be  solely  guarded  by  the  "  aids. "  It  is  therefore  well  to  work 
the  horse  at  a  distance  of  one  or  two  yards  from  the  wall. 

When  the  horse  has  got  into  the  habit  of  pressing  his  shoulder  into  the  wall, 
how  are  we  to  put  him  straight  ?  And  if  we  wish  to  take  him  away  from  the 
wall,  to  go  down  the  centre,  to  do  a  demi-volte,  or  to  set  off  on  "  two  tracks," 
what  "  aids  "  should  we  use  ? 

Let  us  suppose  that  the  rider  is  on  the  right  hand.  He  will  then  instinctively 
feel  the  off  snaffle  rein  to  bring  the  left  shoulder  away  from  the  wall,  which  is  a 
mistake,  because  in  pulling  the  off  rein  he  will  bring  the  head  and  neck  to  the 
right,  but  the  more  he  draws  them  to  the  right,  the  more  will  the  lateral  flexion 
of  the  neck  push  the  left  shoulder  to  the  left.  The  proper  way  to  bring  the  left 
shoulder  away  from  the  wall  is  to  draw  the  near  snaffle  rein  rather  high  and 
forward  on  the  neck,  then  carry  it  to  the  right,  while  lightly  feeling  the 
off  rein,  and  we  will  then  bring  the  whole  neck  along  with  the  shoulders  to  the 
right. 

*  To  make  side  steps  from  left  to  right,  the  horse  should  pass  his  near  fore  and 
the  near  hind,  one  after  the  other,  over  their  respective  off  legs,  in  order  to  gain 
ground  to  the  right.  When  the  horse  is  at  the  ordinary  walk,  the  pace  is  too 
slow  and  two  low  for  the  legs  tojpass  over  their  fellows  without  touching  them. 
In  the  sidestep,  at  the  school  walk,  each  of  the  near  legs  passes  successively  its 
corresponding  off  leg,  and  (this  is  the  important  point  and  results  solely  from  the 
cadence)  is  put  on  the  ground  only  at  the  moment  when  the  off  leg  is  just  raised. 
They  therefore  cannot  hit  each  other. 


SIDE   STEPS    AND   TWO   TRACKS.  137 

step,"  and  not  "two  tracks,"  because  we  always  begin  by- 
going  to  one  side,  which  is  far  from  the  two  tracks. 

When  a  horse  does  the  work  I  have  just  described,  it  is 
said  that  he  goes  sideways^  no  matter  how  bad  may  be  the 
position  of  his  head  and  neck.  But  for  this  work  to  merit 
being  called  "  work  on  two  tracks,"  the  position  should 
be  correct.  Yet  the  position  is  correct,  and  a  horse  moves 
truly  on  two  tracks  when  he  goes  obliquely  forzvard  on  two 
parallel  lines,  the  one  made  by  the  forehand,  the  other  by 
the  hind  quarters.  He  thus  advances  from  the  side,  witJi  the 
head  and  forehand  always  leading  the  hind  quarters.  The 
head  and  neck  ought  to  be  kept  high  and  slightly  bent  to  the 
side  towards  which  the  horse  is  going.  Above  all  things,. 
he  should  be  well  in  hand,  light,  and  in  a  cadenced  pace. 

In  my  opinion,  this  is  the  longest  and  most  difficult  work. 
If  we  seek  to  obtain  it  complete  and  correct  from  the 
beginning,  we  will  either  get  no  good  result,  or  we  will  cause 
the  horse  to  at  once  resist,  because  he  had  not  passed 
through  the  "  mill "  of  lateral,  direct  and  diagonal  efforts 
which  I  have  described.* 

My  reason  for  laying  considerable  stress  on  the  subject  of 
"  two  tracks,"  is  that  this  work  has  a  great  influence  on  all 
the  subsequent  breaking,  where  we  always  meet  during  pro- 
pulsion the  same  combined  action  of  the  diagonal  "  aids." 

When  the  horse  knows  how  to  go  on  two  tracks,  he  will 
seek  every  means  to  escape  from  the  rassembler.  At  first, 
he  refuses  to  yield  to  the  direct  leg  ;  he  then  yields  too  much 

*  A  horse  which  his  rider  persists  in  working  only  by  means  of  lateral  efit'ects, 
can  never  become  a  good  school  horse  :  he  is  ungraceful,  and  his  work  is  dis- 
united. In  fact,  in  lateral  equitation,  he  carries  his  head  and  neck  to  the  opposite 
side  to  which  he  is  moving  ;  and  further  it  is  impossible  for  him  to  do  the  rasseni- 
i/«',<because,  when  we  work  with  the  two  "aids  "  of  one  side  we  have  nothing 
to  support  the  other  side,  which  consequently  escapes  us. 

We  should  therefore  continually  work  both  reins  and  both  legs  ;  but  it  is 
principally  the  double  action  of  the  opposite  rein  and  leg  which  should  play  the 
chief  part  in  all  movements. 


138  ORDINARY   RIDING. 

and  forces  the  opposite  leg.  He  escapes  by  going  too  quickly  to 
one  side. 

I  will  suppose  that  the  rider  is  placed  with  his  shoulder  to 
the  wall  and  is  going  to  the  right.  The  horse  which  tries  to 
checkmate  all  the  efforts  the  rider  makes  to  keep  him  in 
hand  and  in  good  position,  begins  for  instance,  to  lean 
against  the  rider's  left  leg  [putzi'ard  leg  or  direct  leg).  The 
spur  pricks  him  and  forces  him  to  give  way.  He  then  tries 
to  get  behind  his  bit.  In  order  to  drive  him  forward,  it  is 
necessary  to  employ  the  right  leg  {outward  leg  or  opposite  leg). 
As  we  hardly  ever  use  the  spur  of  the  opposite  leg,  from  fear 
of  straightening  him,  the  horse  will  finish  by  pressing  against 
this  leg  and  by  saving  himself  by  running  to  one  side,  which 
will  prevent  us  getting  him  in  hand  and  regulating  his  work 
on  ''  two  tracks." 

The  remedy  is  simple.  It  is  sufficient,  when  the  horse 
throws  himself  on  the  opposite  leg,  to  attack  him  vigorously 
with  the  spur  of  that  side,  in  order  to  make  him  straighten 
himself.  We  must  adopt  this  plan  each  time  the  horse  throws 
himself  to  one  side,  which  he  will  soon  give  up  doing. 

As  we  may  see,  the  best  system  is  to  throw  into  disorder, 
in  order  to  establish  order.  This  procedure,  which  is 
criticised  by  all  those  who  have  not  the  audacity  to  practise  it, 
is  the  only  one  which  incontestably  establishes  the  power 
of  the  breaker  over  the  animal.  By  it,  the  horse  learns'  that 
there  are  insurmountable  obstacles  to  the  carrying  out  of  his 
wishes.  That  point  being  settled,  if  we  keep  him  balancing 
between  reward  and  punishment,  he  is  ours.* 

*  Every  horse  which  knows  how  to  go  on  "  two  tracks  "  makes  an  abuse  of  it. 
When  horses  are  accustomed  to  do  demi-voltes  and  changes  of  hand  on  "  two 
tracks,"  they  often  put  themselves  sideways  when  their  rider  wishes  them  to  do 
these  movements  while  holding  them  straight,  and  by  this  defence  they  escape 
being  rasse//id/c''d.  By  holding  the  horse  straight,  we  make  him  bring  his  hocks 
under  his  body,  which  is  the  very  thing  he  tries  to  avoid  doing  by  placing  himself 
sideways.  The  remedy  is  in  the  legs  of  the  rider.  Later  on,  when  the  breaking 
has  been  finished — the  horse  being  kept  at  the  rassembler  in  all  the  school  move- 
ments— he  will  not  be  able  to  obtain  help  from  this  defence. 


SIDE   STEPS    AND   TWO   TRACKS.  139 

According  as  we  quicken  the  pace  at  the  work  on  "two 
tracks,"  in  order  to  pass  from  the  school  walk  to  the  ordinary 
trot,  or  even  to  the  fast  trot,  it  becomes  more  and  more 
difficult  to  employ  the  "  aids  "  in  an  appropriate  manner. 
We  should,  in  fact,  hold  the  horse  very  straight  in  the  hand, 
because  every  effort  to  straighten  the  hind  quarters,  or  to 
support  the  forehand,  diminishes  the  propulsion,  which  ought 
to  be  extremely  energetic.  To  obtain  a  maximum  of  impulse 
at  the  quickest  pace,  we  must  keep  the  forehand  and  hind 
quarters  absolutely  on  their  own  respective  tracks,  and  must 
combine  the  energy  of  our  legs,  which  give  the  impulse,  with 
the  delicacy  of  the  constant  action  of  the  diagonal  effects,* 
which  enable  us  to  keep  the  horse  in  position,  without 
diminishing  the  impulse  in  any  way. 

This  movement  is  perhaps  the  most  inconvenient  one,  on 
account  of  the  extreme  difficulty  of  correctly  combining  the 
effects  of  the  "  aids  "  with  great  propulsion.  Not  the  least  diffi- 
culty is  to  hold  the  horse  always  straight.  The  direction  of  the 
impulse,  even  in  work  on  two  tracks,  will  always  pass  between 
the  two  ears,  if  the  head  is  well  placed. 

The  correct  position  during  work  on  two  tracks  at  a  fast 
trot,  is  very  difficult  to  keep.  In  fact,  the  energy  of  the  pace 
increases  the  natural  disposition  of  the  rider  to  carry  his  body 
to  the  side  opposite  to  that  to  which  he  is  going.  Hence 
the  necessity  of  continual  watchfulness  on  his  part. 

The  great  difficulty  as  regards  the  horse,  is  to  make  him 
quicken  the  trot  without  breaking  into  the  canter.  This  is 
the  touchstone  of  impulse,  and  the  proof  that  the  animal 
answers  freely  to  the  "  aids." 

Work  on  two  tracks,  as  I    do  it,  in  no  way  resembles  the 

*  The  delicacy  of  the  diagonal  effect  combines  admirably  with  the  energ)^  of 
the  legs,  because  it  results  from  the  preponderance  of  one  "aid"  over  the  other. 
Besides,  the  true  action  of  the  "aids"  is:  legs  energetic,  heels  delicate,  and 
hands  light. 


I40  ORDINARY   RIDING. 

sleepy  work  on  two  tracks  which  we  generally  see  in  riding 
schools.  I  pay  particular  attention  to  demanding  energetic 
work,  and  I  keep  my  horse  full  of  enterprise,  which  is  the 
exact  opposite  of  what  is  usually  done.  If  my  mount  is  en- 
terprising, he  becomes  so  on  account  of  my  legs  having  been 
enterprising  in  the  first  instance. 

In  sleepy  work  the  horse  obeys  conditionally  ;  in  energetic 
work  he  obeys  without  conditions ;  he  keeps  nothing  in  re- 
serve and  he  gives  himself  up  to  his  rider,  which  is  the  first 
condition  of  equitation. 

Figs.  41  and  42  show  Germinal  (a  thorough-bred  by  Flavio 
out  of  Pascale)  at  work  on  "  two  tracks  "  at  the  school  walk. 

In  Fig.  41,  the  horse  begins  by  putting  himself  into  position, 
at  which  he  is  perfect  in  Fig.  42.  We  can  see  how  far  the 
correct  position  is  from  the  crossed  position,  which  many 
riding  masters  adopt  in  work  on  "  two  tracks  "  ;  the  result 
being  that  they  stop  all  impulse. 

The  impulse  appears  greater  in  Fig.42  than  inFig. 41, because 
the  horse,  which  is  going  on  two  tracks  from  left  to  right,  was 
photographed  at  the  moment  when  he  rested  his  right  hind 
foot  on  the  ground,  the  right  being  the  side  to  which  he  was 
going.  In  Fig.  41  (two  tracks  from  right  to  left),  the  near  fore 
foot,  which  forms  the  support,  belongs  to  the  side  (the  left)  to 
which  the  horse  is  going. 

A  comparison  of  these  two  illustrations  enables  us  to  tho- 
roughly understand  the  movements  of  the  horse's  legs  during 
work  on  two  tracks. 

THE   TROT. 

To  make  a  horse  trot,  we  must  begin  by  slackening  the 
reins,  and  increasing  the  pressure  of  the  legs  a  little.  We 
ought  to  avoid  striking  him  with  our  heels,  which  might  upset 
him.  But  if  he  is  sluggish,  we  may  at  first  make  him  feel 
the  heels,  and  afterwards  the  spurs,  but  only  after  a  pressure 


fe 


THE  TROT.  145 

of  the  legs.  At  first  we  must  limit  ourselves  to  the  short  trot, 
and,  above  all  things,  we  should  make  the  animal  do  it  in  a 
correct  and  cadenced  manner,  that  is  to  say,  the  foot-falls 
should  be  equal  as  regards  time.  xAs  the  horse  is  supple,  and 
has  been  trained  to  obey  the  "  aids,"  he  will  soon  do  what  we 
require. 

At  first  it  is  well  to  allow  the  horss  to  be  as  free  as  possible, 
in  order  that  we  may  see  if  he  trots  level  naturall}'.  If  at 
first  we  keep  him  in  hand  when  trotting,  he  will  not  go  freely, 
and  if  there  is  an  inequality  in  his  gait,  it  will  be  difficult  to 
judge  whether  it  is  due  to  a  fault  of  conformation,  unsound- 
ness, or  bad  horsemanship,  namely,  erroneous  effects  produced 
by  the  "  aids."  The  reins,  especially  those  of  the  curb,  ought 
to  be  only  very  slightly  felt.  If  the  horse  carries  his  head  too 
high,  we  should  use  the  curb  reins.  The  fact  of  the  head 
being  carried  too  high  and  in  a  backward  direction,  crushes 
the  hind  quarters.  If,  on  the  contrary,  the  head  is  too  low, 
we  should  use  the  snaffle  reins  ;  but  should  not  draw  them 
to  the  rear,  because  that  would  stop  the  propulsion.  We 
should  give  light  quick  pulls  to  these  reins  alternately,  without 
jerking  them,  while  taking  care  always  to  keep  the  hands 
high.  We  had  best  trot  the  horse  only  twdce  round  the 
school,  stop  him,  bring  him  into  hand,  and  do  the  same 
things  over  again  several  times. 

When  we  have  got  the  horse  into  a  good  position  at  the 
trot,  with  his  neck  high,*  and  the  line  of  his  face  nearly  per- 
pendicular, but  a  little  farther  advanced  than  the  vertical  line, 
we  can  keep  up  this  pace  for  a  longer  time.  We  should 
gradually  work  up  to  this,  because  the  more  tired  a  horse 
becomes,  the  lower  will  he  carry  his  head.  If  we  prolong  the 
work,  he  will  become  heavy  in  hand,  in  which  case  we  should 
stop  him  by  strongly  closing  the  legs,  and,  having  got  him 
completel}'  in  hand,  should  set  off  again. 

*This  naturally  increases  the  height  of  his  action. 

10 


146  ORDINARY    RIDING. 

When  we  have  succeeded  in  trotting  for  five  minutes  to  each 
hand  without  fatigue,  and,  above  all  things,  without  the  horse 
"  breaking,"  we  can  make  him  go  faster.  We  should,  however, 
avoid  abruptly  passing  from  the  short  cadenced  trot  to  the 
fast  long  trot,  which  would  upset  his  balance,  and  would  un- 
expectedly throw  a  considerable  weight  on  his  shoulders. 
At  first  we  should  increase  the  speed  of  the  pace  only  towards 
the  end  of  a  turn  at  the  trot.  During  the  last  couple  of  turns 
round  the  school,  for  example,  we  may  act  vigorously  with 
the  legs,  while  taking  only  a  light  support  on  the  snaffle  reins, 
the  action  of  which  should  be  limited  simply  to  keeping  the 
head  in  place. 

By  practising  these  exercises  we  shall  succeed  in  making 
the  horse  do  all  he  can  at  the  trot,  as  regards  high  action 
and  speed. 

xAbove  all  things,  we  ought  to  avoid  trying  to  make  the 
horse  trot  faster  than  he  can  do  ;  for  such  an  attempt  will 
probably  teach  him  the  false  and  ugly  gait  of  trotting  in 
front  and  cantering  behind. 

There  are  two  ways  of  riding  at  the  trot,  namely,  the 
French  (bumping  in  the  saddle)  and  English  (rising  in  the 
saddle).  The  former  is  of  no  practical  use,  although  it  is 
an  absolutely  indispensable  school  exercise,*  for  giving  a 
good  seat  to  beginners  when  they  trot  without  stirrups  ;  but  I 
disapprove  of  it  for  all  other  purposes.  It  is  fatiguing  to  the 
rider,  and  still  more  to  the  horse.  I  cannot  understand 
why  it  has  been  used  for  such  a  long  time  in  the  army. 

When  we  rise  at  the  trot  there  are  neither  jerks  nor  reactions. 
The  rider  should  have  his  loins  slighcly  bent,  and  con- 
sequently the  upper  part  of  his  body  should  be  inclined  a 
little  forward.  He  should  not  try  by  rising  to  follow  or  to 
anticipate  the  movements  of  the  horse,  but  should  let  himself 
be  raised.     His  ankle  joints  and  knees  acting  together  will 

*  It  is  the  foundation  of  all  good  riding.     Without  it  there  would  be  no  seat. 


THE  TROT.  147 

sustain  his  movement,  and  will  make  him  descend  softly  into 
the  saddle,  and  into  the  cadence  marked  by  the  pace  of  the 
horse.  He  should  always  rise  from  under  himself,  that  is  to 
say,  he  should  let  the  horse  raise  him,  while  helping  the 
movement  with  the  knees  and  ankle  joints  ;  but  the  upper 
part  of  the  body  should  do  nothing.  Otherwise,  the  muscles 
of  the  loins  and  shoulders  will  be  contracted,  the  rider  will 
become  stiff,  and  will  not  be  firmly  united  to  his  horse.  The 
body  ought  to  rise  and  fall  as  a  whole. 

The  rider  who  hollows  out  his  back,  in  place  of  using  only 
his  legs,  necessarily  carries  his  abdomen  forward  when  he 
rises,  and  backward  when  he  descends  into  the  saddle,  than 
which  nothing  can  be  more  ungraceful. 

Only  one-third  (the  ball)  of  the  foot  should  be  placed  in 
the  stirrup.  If  the  foot  is  "  home,"  the  ankle  will  lose  all  its 
elasticity,  and  consequently  the  trot  will  become  stiff  and 
painful. 

The  natural  trot  of  a  horse  which  is  not  upset  or  suffering, 
is  an  alternate  and  absolutely  identical  movement  of  the 
two  diagonals. 

At  the  rising  trot,  the  rider  can  trot  either  on  the  left  or 
right  diagonal  biped.* 

The  rider  is  said  to  trot  on  the  left  diagonal  biped,  when  he 
rises  at  the  same  moment  that  the  horse  raises  his  left 
fore  foot,  and  comes  down  on  the  saddle,  when  the  horse 
puts  that  foot  on  the  ground. 

In  the  well-executed  English  trot,  the  rider  rises  and  comes 
down  only  once  during  the  succession  of  the  two  bipeds.  He 
rises  and  descends  along  with  the  left  biped,  for  instance, 
without  the  right  biped   having   any   influence  on   his  move- 

•  In  equestrian  language,  the  diagonal  always  takes  its  name  from  front  to 
rear.  Thus,  the  right  rein  and  left  leg  is  the  right  diagonal,  and  the  left  rein 
and  right  leg  is  the  left  diagonal.  It  is  the  same  with  the  legs  of  the  horse,  the 
right  fore  and  left  hind  forming  the  right  diagonal,  and  the  left  fore  and  right 
hind  the  left  diagonal. 

10* 


148  ORDINARY    RIDING. 

ments.  But  if  he  is  not  in  rh}'thm,  he  will  come  down  too 
soon  on  the  saddle,  and  will  receive  a  shock  from  the  right 
biped,  as  the  result  of  the  straightening  of  the  left  hock.  He 
will  come  twice  in  the  saddle  and  will  ride  incorrectly. 

The  rider  ought  to  be  able  to  ride  at  the  trot  equall}'  well 
on  one  biped,  as  on  the  other  biped,  and  should  be  able  to 
change  from  one  to  the  other,  so  as  to  relieve  himself,  and 
especially  the  horse,  during  a  long  journe}',  but  this  requires 
a  certain  amount  of  practice  to  do.  A  rider  ought  to 
learn  how  to  know  on  what  biped  he  is,  which  is  difficult  at 
first.  It  is  best  to  begin  a  preliminary  study  at  the  walk, 
while  raising  ourselves  in  the  stirrups  at  each  step  the  horse 
takes,  as  if  he  were  trotting.  We  have  thus  time  to  see 
what  movement  of  the  horse  we  are  following.  After 
a  little  practice  at  this  exercise,  we  can  start  again  into 
the  trot. 

It  is  worthy  of  note  that  each  rider  naturally  adopts  one 
particular  biped,  and  almost  always  without  knowing  that  he 
does  so,  and  he  becomes  so  habituated  to  it  that  he  feels  ill 
at  ease  when  he  changes  to  the  other  biped. 

If  we  wish  to  have  a  fine  trotter,  we  should  complete  his 
education  in  the  open,  after  having  made  him  do  in  the  school 
the  exercises  I  have  just  described.  On  a  road  a  horse  lends 
himself  more  readily  to  the  work,  and  goes  freer  than  in  a 
school.  As  we  have  space  in  front  of  us  in  the  open,  we  are 
able  to  keep  up  the  speed  of  the  pace  for  a  longer  time  ;  but 
in  a  school  the  corners  oblige  us  to  slacken  a  little  at  frequent 
intervals. 

All  horses  do  not  trot  in  an  equally  free  manner.  Certain 
animals  readily  maintain  this  pace,  if  the  speed  is  moderate  ; 
but  if  the  speed  is  increased,  they  will  break  into  a  short  canter. 
It  is  correctly  said  that  such  horses  k^sp  tJiemselves  back.  It 
is  very  important  not  to  allow  a  horse  to  change  his  pace 
without  giving  him  the  indications  to  do  so,  but  it  is  not  less 


THE  TROT.  149 

important  to  make  the  horse,  whenever  we  Hkc,  exert  himself 
to  the  utmost  at  his  trot. 

If  a  horse  starts  into  the  canter  when  we  want  him  to  do  the 
fast  trot,  we  can  at  first  try  gentleness  in  order  to  correct  this 
habit,  which  is  only  idleness.  We  can  stoja  him  and  pat  him 
on  the  neck,  to  reassure  and  calm  him,  and  then  put  him 
again  into  the  trot.  This  plan  generally  succeeds  with 
impetuous  horses,  but  it  has  no  good  effect  on  lazy  ones,  with 
which  we  should  do  just  the  contrary.  When  an  animal 
breaks  into  the  canter  to  avoid  the  fast  trot,  we  should 
vigorously  push  him  forward  into  the  gallop,  and  should  keep 
him  at  it  for  a  certain  distance,  say  for  500  or  600  yards, 
which  is  to  be  the  punishment  of  his  resistance  and  laziness. 
After  a  few  experiences  of  this  kind  he  will  perceive  that,  so 
far  from  obtaining  relief  by  breaking  into  the  canter  from  the 
trot,  he  lets  himself  in  for  a  severe  and  trying  pace.  This 
plan  is  within  the  reach  of  everyone.  There  is  another  which 
I  can  recommend,  but  which  requires  a  greater  knowledge   of 

riding. 

When  the  horse  of  his  own  accord  breaks  into  the  canter, 
in  order  to  escape  from  the  fast  trot  which  his  rider  wants 
him  to  do,  he  naturally  leads  with  the  easier  leg  of  the  two. 
I  have  already ^said  that  every  horse  has  one  side  more  easy 
than  the  other.  We  can  therefore  thwart  him  in  the  pace  he 
has  taken  by  pressing  him  forward  at  the  canter,  while  making 
the  other  leg  lead  ;  for  instance,  with  the  right  leg  if  he  has  of 
his  own  accord  struck  off  with  the  left  leg.  We  will  then 
employ  the  near  snaffle  rein,  in  order  to  keep  back  the  left 
shoulder,  which  takes  the  lead,  and  the  left  leg  to  press  the 
haunches  to  the  right.* 

We  should  apply  the  opposite  "  aids  "  if  the  horse  leads  with 
the  right  fore  leg.     It  is  self-evident   that   this  plan,   like  the 

*  It  will  be  noted  that  I  am  doing  lateral  equitation  here  ;  my  reason  being 
that  I  take  for  granted  that  the  horse  is  either  imperfectly  broken  or  unbroken. 


I50  ORDINARY   RIDING. 

preceding  one,  is  applicable  only  to  horses  which  are  im- 
perfectly broken.  When  a  horse  is  well  broken,  he  never 
breaks  into  a  pace  which  we  do  not  want  him  bo  adopt. 

If  a  horse  does  not  readily  take  to  the  trot,  we  should  not 
be  too  ready  to  think  he  is  lazy  or  bad-tempered.  The  fault 
is  often  due  to  the  fact  that  the  rider's  hands  are  bad  for  a 
sensitive  mouth,  because  they  are  either  too  heavy  or  they 
move  about  too  much.  It  may  happen  that  the  bit  is  too 
severe,*  or  that  the  horse's  mouth  is  sore,  from  having  been 
bruised.  Also,  the  horse  may  be  suffering  in  his  loins  or 
other  parts,  and  his  reason  for  changing  the  pace  may  be  only 
to  relieve  himself  In  all  these  frequently  occurring  cases,  the 
best  remedy  is  to  remove  the  cause. 

In  place  of  first  putting  the  blame  on  the  horse,  which  is 
only  natural,  the  rider  ought  perhaps  begin  by  trying  to  find 
out  if  he  himself  is  not  the  culprit. 

The  following  is  an  excellent  means  of  finding  out  if 
soreness  of  the  mouth  is  the  cause  of  the  horse  not  trotting 
true.  Instead  of  allowing  him  to  bear  on  the  snaffle,  leave  its 
reins  perfectly  loose  and  catch  hold  of  a  good-sized  handful  of 
the  mane  near  the  middle  of  the  neck,  and  draw  it  towards 
you.      Horse  dealers  use  this  plan  every  da}'. 

The  trainers  of  trotters,  whose  only  object  is  a  maximum 
of  speed,  generally  let  their  horses  take  a  very  strong  bear- 
ing on  the  hand.  The  regularity  of  the  pace  and  lightness  of 
mouth  are  of  little  matter  to  them.  Their  horses,  being  im- 
petuous, always  pull  very  hard,  and  the  rider,  on  his  part, 
pulls  no  less  vigorously  on  the  mouth ;  because  he  thinks  that 
the  more  he  pulls,  the  faster  will  the  horse  go.  This  is  a 
great  error  ;  because,  by  pulling  too  strongly  on  the  mouth, 
we  throw  the  weight  of  the  bod)^  on  the  iiind  (juarters,  and  we 

*  Thin  mouth-piece,  long  cheeks,  high  fJort,  each  one  of  which  conchlions  will 
of  itself  make  the  bit  severe  ;  and  c<jml_)ined,  tlicy  will  conveil  it  into  an 
instrument  of  torture. 


THE   TROT.  151 

thus  fatigue  the  loins  and  hocks.  To  make  a  horse  trot  well, 
we  should  simply  try  to  get  him  to  lean  on  the  hand.  No 
doubt,  in  a  flat  race,  as  at  the  trot,  the  rider  to  some  extent 
carries  the  head  and  neck  of  his  horse  ;  but  he  should  take 
care  to  carry  it  iipivards  and  not  backivards,  by  doing  which 
he  would  infallibly  check  the  power  of  the  loins  and  hocks. 

To  study  the  exact  conditions  of  trotting  races,  I  once  went 
and  lived  at  Dozule,  which  is  a  small  village  in  Normandy.  I 
had  previously  ridden  on,  the  flat  and  across  country,  and  as  I 
had  also  broken  three  or  four  school  horses,  I  thought  I  was 
going  to  astonish  the  Norman  lads  by  my  science.  I  admit, 
in  all  humiHt}^  that  the  most  surprised  one  was  your  humble 
servant. 

At  Dozule  there  was  a  brave  bo>-  called  Pascal,  who  was 
very  well  up  in  everything  about  horses,  and  especially  about 
trotters.  I  had  known  him  for  a  long  time,  and  we  had 
previously  arranged  together  the  plan  of  my  sojourn  at 
Dozule. 

Pascal  had  charge  of  the  training  of  two  remarkable 
trotters,  which  belonged,  if  I  remember  rightly,  to  the 
Marquis  of  Croix.     This  was  about  the  end  of  1864. 

On  the  morning  after  my  arrival,  we  were  in  the  saddle, 
and  at  first  we  walked  on  the  trotting  track,  which  was  a  mile 
and  a  quarter  in  length.  Then  we  began  to  trot,  and  Pascal 
beat  me  easily.  I  took  my  defeat  with  a  smile,  because  I 
thought  tliat  his  horse  was  faster  than  mine.  On  the  follow- 
ing day  we  changed  horses,  and  Pascal  again  beat  me.  I 
admit  that  I  was  all  the  more  annoyed,  because  the  same  result 
was  reproduced  the  following  fifteen  da}'s,  on  each  one  of 
which  Pascal  rode  the  horse  on  which  I  was  beaten  by  him 
the  previous  day. 

He  pulled  with  all  his  might  at  the  reins  and  jerked  them, 
which  he  called  "  ringing  "  his  horse.  I  told  him  that  his  way 
of  riding  was  not  rational  ;  but  he  replied  that  it  was  the  only 


152  ORDINARY   RIDING. 

way  to  get  all  the  speed  out  of  a  horse,  and  apparently  he 
was  right.  I  then  asked  him  to  let  me  ride  the  same  horse 
for  a  fortnight,  during  which  time  we  ran  no  races  together. 
During  this  period,  I  succeeded  in  making  the  horse  take  only 
a  light  bearing  on  the  hand,  and  to  hold  his  head  steady, 
and  finally  I  beat  Pascal  four  times  running.  I  afterwards 
obtained,  in  an  equally  shorL  time,  the  same  result  with 
the  other  horse. 

The  two  horses  having  been  placed  with  confidence  on  the 
hand,  and  having  the  free  play  of  their  hind  quarters,  trotted 
as  a  whole  without  breaking  and  almost  without  fatigue. 
According  to  the  system  of  Pascal,  on  the  contrary,  they 
broke,  trotted  almost  always  disunited,  and  also  were  soon 
knocked  up.  I  was  also  closer  to  the  horse  than  he  was  ; 
he  made  violent  movements,  while  I  made  none  ;  and  finally, 
having  succeeded  more  rapidly  than  he  could  in  getting  my 
horse  at  full  speed,  I  was  able  to  maintain  it  longer. 

I  do  not  claim  that  I  gave  more  speed  to  my  horses,  but 
with  my  handling  they  did  their  work  with  confidence  and 
ease,  whilst  he  hurt  their  mouths  and  fatigued  them,  which 
fact  was  to  be  seen  at  the  winning  post.  Not  having  to  make 
the  same  efforts  when  I  rode  them,  they  were  neither  blow- 
ing nor  sweating  after  the  trot. 

Trotters  which  are  trained  according  to  Pascal's  method, 
are  generally  unpleasant  and  sometimes  dangerous  to  ride. 
In  fact  it  is  difficult,  when  they  have  once  started,  to  stop 
them  quickly.  Nevertheless,  if  taken  out  of  training  and 
given  suppling  exercises,  they  will  very  often  do  excellent 
service. 

Pascal  had  the  great  advantage  over  me  of  knowing  his 
horses,  and  he  knew — at  least,  I  like  to  think  he  did — when 
they  were  at  their  top  speed.  This  knowledge  is  much  more 
important  than  is  generally  thought.  If  a  jockey  who  has 
not  a  knowledge  of  pace,  is  riding  a  trotter  which  is  going  at 


THE   CANTER.  153 

full  speed,  he  will  probably  try  to  make  him  go  faster,  and  by 
pressing  him  on,  will  make  him  break  into  a  gallop. 

The  feeling  which  makes  us  press  on  a  horse  under  all 
conditions  is  very  natural.  Nothing  unnerves  us  more  than 
to  ride  a  race  alongside  a  horse  which  keeps  a  neck  in  front 
of  us.  Nevertheless,  if  the  trotter  we  are  riding  is  at  the  top 
of  his  speed,  we  should  take  care  not  to  force  him  beyond  it, 
which  would  cause  him  to  gallop.  In  order  to  put  him  back 
into  the  trot,  we  would  have  to  slacken  speed,  and  would 
consequently  lose  several  lengths. 

Finally,  when  we  ride  a  trotting  race,  we  should  know  the 
moment  the  horse  has  attained  his  highest  speed,  which  we 
should  keep  up  as  long  as  possible.  The  result  of  the  race 
will  then  become  a  question  of  staying  power  ;  because  the 
animal  which  can  keep  up  his  highest  speed  for  the  longest 
time,  will  have  the  best  chance. 

We  should  note  that  in  a  trotting  race  a  rider  should 
keep  his  mount  at  the  top  of  its  speed  from  the  start.  We 
will  see  further  on  that  this  is  not  the  case  in  flat-race 
riding. 

THE   CANTER. 

Of  all  paces,  the  canter  is  the  most  difficult  and  complicated. 
Few  riding  masters  succeed  in  making  a  horse  do  the  move- 
ments they  require  at  the  canter. 

I  never  begin  the  canter  before  getting  the  horse  thoroughly 
under  control,  by  which  I  mean  that  he  should  be  physically, 
and,  if  I  may  say,  morally  obedient  to  me  in  all  his  paces  ; 
that  he  should  be  supple,  well  in  hand,  and  should  readily 
yield  to  the  legs. 

I  expect,  above  all  things,  the  loins,  haunches  and  hocks  to 
be  perfectly  supple,  and  the  horse  to  obey  the  effects  of  the 
whole  without  hesitation,  in  order  that  I  may  be  able  to  utilize 
the  resulting'  forces  as  I  wish. 


154  ORDINARY    RIDING. 

Having  obtained  these  conditions,  I  am  certain  to  presently 
succeed  in  placing  my  horse  in  a  proper  position  for  the  canter, 
and  to  immediately  get  the  canter  which  I  wish  the  horse  to 
do,  and  not  the  one  he  desires  to  perform. 

If  the  horse  obeys  the  legs,  I  shall  be  able  to  prevent  him 
from  going  sideways,  which  is  an  extremely  bad  habit,  and 
which  is  better  to  prevent  than  to  punish.  It  is  much  more 
difficult  to  straighten  a  horse  which  is  accustomed  to  throw 
his  hind  quarters  to  the  right  or  left,  than  to  teach  him  to 
canter  straight  from  the  beginning.* 

At  the  canter,  the  rider  ought  to  keep  his  body  straight. 
If  he  leans  too  much  forward,  each  stride  of  the  canter  will 
throw  him  on  to  the  animal's  neck.  If  he  is  too  far  back,  the 
loins  will  become  hollow,  and  the  body  will  consequently 
become  stiff. 

The  horse  canters  either  on  the  near  fore  or  off  fore.  He  is 
said    to    lead    with    the   off  leg,  when   the  right  legs  are  in 

*  In  the  school,  when  a  pupil  wishes  to  make  his  horse  strike  oft'  into  the  canter 
with  the  outside  leg,  he  generally  puts  him  too  much  sideways.  I  take  for  granted 
that  he  is  going  to  the  left,  and  wishes  his  horse  to  strike  off"  with  the  oft"  fore. 
He  will  then  carry  his  hands  to  the  left,  which  will  be  all  right,  if  he  does  it 
only  just  enough  to  put  the  weight  on  the  left  shoulder.  But  if  he  does  not  succeed, 
he  will  probably  carry  his  hands  more  and  more  to  the  left  and  he  will  turn  his 
horse  into  the  position  of  shoulder-in.  The  horse  at  this  period  of  breaking 
does  not  know  how  to  do  the  shoulder-in  at  a  canter ;  because  his  teacher  should 
have  begun  by  making  him  canter  straight  on  the  inward  and  outward  legs  before 
doing  that.  The  pupil  thus  succeeds  only  in  destroying  all  impulse,  and  in 
making  the  canter  impossible,  by  causing  the  horse  to  get  behind  his  bit.  He 
should,  therefore,  carry  the  hands  to  the  left  only  just  enough  to  put  the  weight 
on  the  left  shoulder,  but  not  sufficient  to  place  the  animal  sideways.  If  the  horse 
puts  himself  in  an  oblique  position,  he  should  not  insist  on  making  him  canter, 
but  should  straighten  him,  and  should  begin  starting  him  oft'  again,  while 
holding  him  straight. 

Starting  well  is  not  everything.     We  should  keep  the  horse  straight. 

When  the  horse  canters  with  the  outward  leg  leading,  the  rider,  at  starling,  and 
also  to  keep  up  the  pace,  has  always  a  great  tendency  to  place  the  horse  sideways 
by  bringing  the  shoulders  in,  and  by  placing  the  horse  on  two  tracks.  If  we 
persist  in  this  fault,  all  progress  will  be  impossible  ;  because  the  horse  can  never 
canter  correctly  on  two  tracks,  if  he  has  not  learned  at  first  to  canter  straight  on 
the  outward  leg. 


THE   CANTER.  155 

advance  at  the  moment  the}'  come  on  the  ground.  In  the 
canter  to  the  left,  the  left  leg.s  do  this. 

To  teach  a  horse  to  canter  on  the  off  fore,  we  ought 
to  close  both  legs,  carry  both  hands  to  the  left,  and  feel 
the  off  reins  a  little  stronger  than  the  near  reins.*  In 
this  way  we  put  the  weight  on  the  near  shoulder,  without 
bringing  to  the  left  the  head,  which  should  alwa}\s  remain 
straight,  with  the  end  of  the  muzzle  slightl}-  inclined  to  the 
right. 

As  soon  as  a  horse  has  learned  to  keep  in  a  good 
position,  he  should  be  put  into  movement.  The  hind 
quarters,  which  act  the  part  of  a  propeller,  ought  to  push 
and  carry  the  fore  hand  forward.  To  bring  the  hocks 
under  the  bod)%  I  increase  the  effect  of  the  legs,  while 
pressing  equall}'  with  them,  Finalh',  I  use  a  stronger 
pressure  with  my  left  leg,  and  I  carr}-  it  a  little  further 
back  than  my  right  one.f 

If  the  horse  has  some  "go"  in  him,  the  effect  of  the  legs 
will  be  sufficient  to  send  him  up  to  the  hands  (bridle).  At 
this  moment,  I  raise  my  hands  while  feeling  the  reins,  and  I 
profit  by  the  impulse  given  by  the  legs,  to  raise  the  horse, 
while  preventing  him  extending  himself  and  breaking  into  a 
trot.  If  the  horse  is  sluggish,  we  should  prolong  and  increase 
the  action  of  the  legs,  and  if  need  be,  we  should  use  the 
spurs. 

Under  these  conditions,  it  is  difficult  for  the  horse  not  to 
lead  off  with  the  off  fore.  It  ma)'  however  happen  that  he 
leads  off  with  the  near  fore,  or  trots.  In  either  case,  I  stop 
him  as  quickly  as  possible,  and  I  replace  him  in  the  position  I 
have  previously  described.     I  then  begin  again,  and  continue 

*  I  always  begin  by  using  the  snaflk,  whatever  may  be  the  pace  I  am 
teaching. 

t  By  means  of  the  left  leg,  the  rider  throws,  so  to  speak,  the  weight  of  the 
horse's  body  on  his  right  leg,  which  sends  it  to  the  hands. 


156  ORDINARY   RIDING. 

to  do  so,  until  he  leads  with  the  off  fore.*  As  soon  as  he  has 
done  three  or  four  strides  on  this  leg,  I  stop  him,  pat  him  on 
the  neck  and  let  him  walk  round  the  school  in  perfect  freedom. 
After  that  I  do  the  same  exercise  three  or  four  times.f 

Baucher,  by  a  singular  error,  recommended  lateral  equitation 
for  starting  at  the  canter.  In  his  edition  of  1846,  page  219, 
he  advised  for  starting  with  the  off  fore  leading,  to  carry  the 
hands  to  the  left — which  would  put  tension  on  the  right  rein 
— and  to  apply  the  right  leg.  I  attribute  this  error  to  the  bad 
flexion  of  the  neck  which  he  practised.  The  neck  being  low 
and  bent  at  the  withers  to  the  right,  causes  the  left  shoulder 
to  be  rounded,  and  the  effect  of  the  left  leg  would  bend  the 
tzuo  ends  of  the  horse  tozvards  the  inside,  that  is  to  say,  to  bring 
his  head  and  croup  towards  each  other.  The  effect  of  the 
right  leg,  on  the  contrary,  is  to  partly  remedy  a  bad  equilib- 
rium resulting  from  the  faulty  flexion  of  the  neck.  How  could 
Baucher  reconcile  this  practice  with  his  great  principle — in 
turning — of  "  applying  the  leg  of  the  side  opposite  to  which 
the  turn  is  made"  (Edition  of  1846,  page  189)? 

*  If  the  horse  starts  disunited,  that  is  to  say,  if  the  forehand  canters  to  the 
right,  and  the  hind  quarters  to  the  left,  we  should  increase  the  action  of  the 
"  aids  "  to  obtain  the  canter  which  we  require,  and  if  the  hind  quarters  in  this  case 
are  disunited,  we  should  use  the  left  leg  energetically. 

I  advise  beginners  who  find  some  difficulty  in  understanding  the  canter,  to 
exercise  prudence,  for  there  is  nothing  worse  than  to  try  to  remedy  a  fault  which 
does  not  exist.  At  first,  lean  forward  a  little,  so  as  to  see  with  which  leg  the 
horse  canters.  If  the  right  shoulder  is  in  advance  when  the  fore  feet  come  down, 
we  may  be  certain  that  he  is  leading  with  his  off  fore.  We  should  now  feel  our 
seat,  and  the  regularity  and  suppleness  (ease)  of  the  displacement  of  the  body 
will  tell  us  if  the  canter  is  well  united,  in  which  case  the  horse  will  be  leading 
with  the  off  hind  as  well  as  with  the  off  fore.  But  if  the  displacement  of  the 
seat  is  done  in  a  jolting  manner  and  with  a  double  shock,  the  canter  will  lie  dis- 
united, and  the  near  hind  will  be  leading. 

We  can  then,  but  only  if  we  are  absolutely  certain,  use  the  left  spur  to  drive 
the  hind  quarters  to  the  right,  and  keep  the  left  leg  close  to  the  animal's  side,  in 
order  to  force  him  to  remain  united. 

■f  I  have  already  said  that  we  should  always  finish  with  the  new  work,  so  as  to 
impress  it  on  the  memory  of  the  horse. 


THE   CANTER.  157 

According  to  this  system,  it  is  necessary  when  turning  to 
the  right  at  the  canter  to  use  a  stronger  pressure  of  the  right 
leg,  in  order  for  the  horse  to  lead  with  his  off  fore  ;  and  the 
left  leg,  in  order  to  turn  to  the  right.  The  inconsistency  is  so 
evident,  that  it  is  sufficient  to  merely  point  it  out.  Everyone 
knows  that  if  a  horse  has  learned  to  canter  with  the  near  fore 
leading,  b\'  means  of  the  support  of  the  left  leg,  the  effect  will 
be  to  make  him  change  his  leg,  and  not  to  turn  to  the  right. 

I  think  it  is  useless  to  describe  the  means  by  which  we 
make  a  horse  lead  with  his  near  fore,  because  they  are 
naturally  the  opposite  ones  to  those  which  we  have  just 
described.  We  ought  always  to  begin  the  canter  with  the  off 
fore  *  leading,  and  for  this  object  we  ought  to  make  the  horse 
circle  to  the  right  in  the  riding  school.  I  never  ask  the  horse 
to  lead  with  the  near  fore  until  I  can  readily  make  him  canter 
freely  with  the  off  fore  leading.  This  is  a  matter  of  a  few 
days,  the  number  of  which  we  cannot  exactly  fix.  Some 
horses  easily  lead  with  the  off  fore,  but  others  find  this 
difficult  to  do,  although  they  may  be  very  clever  at  starting 
with  the  near  fore  leading. 

Horses  are  like  men — some  are  naturally  and  by  habit 
right-handed,  and  others  are  left-handed.  It  seems  probable 
that  some  horses  are  naturally  right-footed  ;  because,  if  we 
did  not  take  account  of  contracted  habits,  all  horses  would  be 
left-footed. 

In  fact,  when  we  lead  a  horse  by  the  bridle  on  foot,  we 
always  keep  on  his  left  side,  which  is  also  the  side  on  which 
we  feed,  saddle,  and  bridle  him.  As  the  horse  likes  to  take 
notice  of  what  goes  on  around  him,  the  left  is  the  side  towards 
which  he  constantly  turns  his  head,  and  consequently  he 
ought  to  be  more  supple  to  the  left  than  to  the  right  ;  but  he 

*  The  rule  in  riding  is  lo  begin  all  movements  to  the  right.  On  a  straight 
line  in  the  open  we  generally  canter  with  the  off  fore  leading,  which  is  the  style 
adopted  by  ladies.     For  all  reasons  it  is  best  to  begin  the  canter  in  this  way. 


158  ORDINARY   RIDING. 

is  not  so.  I  have  met  as  many  right-footed  horses  as  left- 
footed  ones.  We  can  find  out  which  he  is  by  working  him  ; 
for  there  is  nothing  in  his  conformation  that  would  enable  us 
to  decide  that  question.* 

As  a  right-footed  horse  will  remain  all  his  life  much  more 
supple  and  easy  to  the  right ;  the  left  side  will  naturally  be 
the  one  to  which  we  should  work  him  in  flexions,  side  steps, 
voltes,  canter,  etc.  ;   and  vice  versa. 

Before  requiring  the  horse  to  do  more,  I  wait  till  he  can 
canter  as  readily  with  one  leg  as  with  the  other,  while 
keeping  him  straight  all  the  time.  I  then  try  to  get  him 
completely  in  hand,  which  I  certainly  will  not  be  able  to  do 
at  the  canter,  if  I  have  not  first  made  his  mouth  supple  and 
light  at  all  paces  and  during  all  the  preceding  exercises. 

The  best  definition  of  the  action  of  the  "  aids "  in  the 
present  case,  is  that  the  hands  make  the  walk  and  the  legs 
the  canter — namely,  that  whilst  the  legs  press  the  horse  with 
energy,  the  hands  lightly  restrain  him.  He  then  finds 
himself  controlled  by  two  opposing  actions  ;  propulsion  being 
the  dominating  one.  They  oblige  him  to  raise  himself  and 
canter. 

The  riding  master  will  find  that  he  has  attained  his  object 
when  the  horse  canters  slowly  without  effort,  and,  above  all 
things,  without  trying  to  escape  from  the  hand.f 

*  All  Arab  horses  are  left-footed,  with  respect  to  the  fact  that  they  always 
turn  to  the  left  and  never  to  the  right,  which  peculiarity  is  simply  the  result  of 
education.  If  we  place  ourselves  on  the  right  of  an  Arab  horseman,  he  cannot 
touch  us.     He  must  turn  to  the  left-about  in  order  to  reach  us. 

t  Almost  all  authors  advise  that  when  a  horse  pulls  at  the  canter,  he  should  be 
stopped  and  made  to  rein  back,  than  which  nothing  is  less  rational.  A  horse 
pulls  because  his  hocks  are  far  from  the  centre  of  the  body.  In  making  him  rein 
back  we  push  the  hocks  still  further  to  the  rear,  and  we  directly  counteract  the  object 
we  desire  to  attain.  On  the  contrary,  without  stopping  the  horse,  we  should  press 
him  well  up  to  the  bridle  with  the  legs,  should  keep  him  in  hand  while  he  is 
moving  forward,  should  make  him  do  movements  as  a  whole,  and  take  and  give 
with   the  hands  and   legs  in  order  to  collect  him,  which  is  the  only  means  for 


THE   CANTER.  159- 

There  are  three  ways  of  seeing  that  a  horse  canters  with 
the  off  fore  leading  : 

First,  it  is  sufficient  to  look  at  his  shoulders  or  feet.  If  he 
canters  with  the  off  fore  leading,  the  off  shoulder,  and 
especially  the  off  fore  foot,  will  respectively  be  in  advance  of 
the  near  shoulder  and  near  fore  foot. 

Second,  the  horse  has  always  his  croup  a  little  turned  to 
the  side  of  the  leading  fore  leg. 

Third,  when  the  off  fore  leads,  the  right  leg  of  the  rider  is 
more  shaken  than  the  left  leg,*  and  consequently  it  is  more 
difficult  to  keep  that  knee  close  to  the  flap  of  the  saddle  than 
the  other  knee. 

After  a  series  of  attentive  observations,  we  ought  to  be 
able  to  tell  with  what  leg  a  horse  leads,  even  with  our  eyes 
shut. 

Before  going  further  in  the  teaching  of  breaking,  it  is 
important  to  explain  the  movements  of  the  canter.-}- 

The  canter  of  the  school  horse  and  hack  ought  to  be  in 
well-marked  three  time.  I 

Three  times  (beats)  are,  therefore,  necessary  to  form  a  stride 
of  the  canter.  Let  us  take,  for  example,  the  canter  with  the 
off  fore  leading. 

bringing  his  hocks  under  his  body.      Thus  the   forehand  will   be  lightened  in 
proportion  as  the  hind  quarters  drive  the  body  forward. 

At  this  time,  half-turns  on  the  haunches  will  be  very  useful,  provided  that 
the  rider  has  enough  /ac^  to  keep  the  haunches  well  engaged  and  the  horse  well 
up  to  his  bit. 

*  The  right  hock,  placed  under  the  body  gives  more  impulse  in  the  canter  to 
the  right  than  the  left  hock,  and  it  is  the  one  which  displaces  the  right  knee  of 
the  rider.  The  action  of  the  left  hock,  which  is  much  more  to  the  rear,  and  is 
consequently  a  less  powerful  propelling  agent,  has  necessarily  a  much  less 
displacing  effect  on  the  left  knee. 

t  This  study  is  necessary  for  the  changes  of  leg. 

J  The  long-striding  gallop,  like  that  of  the  racecourse,  is  in  four  lime.  The 
very  short  canter  of  a  rasse//id/J'd  horse,  of  which  pace  I  shall  speak  later  on,  is 
also  in  four  time. 


i6o 


ORDINARY   RIDING. 


First  time. — Near  hind  in  support  (Fig.  43). 

Second  time. — Left  diagonal  support,  the  near  hind  and 
■off  fore  having  just  quitted  the  ground  (Fig.  44). 

Third  time. — Off  fore  in  support  (Fig.  45). 

I  will  now  indicate  the  action  of  the  "aids"  which  the  rider 
should  employ  during  this  stride. 

First  time. — Strong  support  from  the  left  leg.  The  horse 
finds  himself  resting  for  a  moment  only  on  his  near  hind,  but 
the  period  is  so  short  that  it  cannot  be  seen  without  great 
practice. 


Fig.  43. — First  time  of  the  canter  ;  near  iiind  in  support. 

Second  time. — Left  diagonal.  The  two  legs  of  the  rider 
•ought  to  exert  their  pressure  to  try  to  get  the  horse  in  hand. 

Third  time. — The  horse's  off  fore  is  in  support.  The 
rider  ought  to  receive  the  horse  lightly  on  his  hands  ;  at  first 
to  support  him,  and  immediately  afterwards  to  complete  the 
task  of  getting  him  in  hand,  which  work  was  initiated  by  the 
legs  during  the  second  time. 

I  will  now  e.xplain  the  effects  of  the  "aids"  during  the 
three  times  which  make  a  stride. 

First  time. — The  rider's  left  leg  ought  to  be  strongly 
pressed  against  the  horse's  side,  because  the  horse  is  standing. 


THE    CANTER. 


i6i 


so  to  speak,  on  his  near  hind,  while  his  body  is  inclined 
forward  and  his  other  limbs  are  not  much  raised  from  the 
ground.  The  entire  weight  of  the  horse  and  rider  are, 
therefore,  carried  on  this  leg,  and  if  the  rider  does  not  support 
the  left  side  of  the  horse,  it  is  certain  that  this  leg  will  give 
way  under  the  excess  of  weight,  and  that  the  croup  will 
swerve  to  the  left. 

Second    time. — The   two    legs   of  the    rider   exert  their 
pressure  in  order  to  press  the  horse  up  to  the  hand.      This  is 


Fig.  44. — Second  time  of  the  canter  ;  left  diagonal  in  support. 

the  only  moment  of  the  canter  when  the  horse  has  two 
supports,  and  we  ought  to  profit  by  the  impulse  he  has  just 
received,  to  get  him  into  hand  at  the  following  time. 

Third  time. — The  rider  receives  the  horse  on  the  hand. 
This  is  the  easiest  moment  at  which  to  get  the  horse 
completely  in  hand  ;  because,  at  the  second  period,  the  right 
hock  being  under  the  body,  gives  the  greater  part  of  the 
propulsion,  which  our  hands  should  utilise  to  rassemhler  the 
horse. 

The  hands  ought  also  to  support  the  horse  a  little  during 
the  third  period  ;  because  the  animal's  off  fore  is  then  his 

II 


l62 


ORDINARY    RIDING. 


only  support.  At  this  moment  horses  usually  make  mistakes, 
and  are  apt  to  fall  if  they  are  not  supported. 

Of  course  I  point  out  only  the  chief  "aids."  We  under- 
stand that  the  hands  and  legs  should  always  co-operate  with 
each  other. 

It  might  appear,  after  what  I  have  just  said,  that  the  near 
hind  is  the  leg  which  becomes  most  fatigued  at  a  canter  to  the 
right.  In  fact,  this  is  the  usual  opinion  of  many  of  those  wjio 
have    written    on    this    subject.       Nothing    could    be    more 


Fig.  45. — Third  time  of  the  canter  ;  off  fore  in  support. 

erroneous  ;  because  the  off  hock,  being  under  the  body  and 
having  to  raise  all  the  weight,  does  the  most  work  during  each 
stride,  which  is  a  fact  beyond  dispute.  I  am  aware  that  the 
near  hock,  being  placed  at  the  end  of  the  arm  of  the  lever,  is 
under  a  much  less  favourable  condition  for  action.  But 
precisely  because  the  position  which  the  off  hock  occupies 
under  the  body,  is  more  favourable  to  the  complete  utilisation 
of  its  force,  it  makes  a  greater  effort  than  the  near  hock,  and 
consequently  it  becomes  more  fatigued.  It  we  attentively 
watch  a  horse  which  is  cantering  with  his  off  fore  leading,  we 
will  quickly  see  that  the  off  hock  and  fetlock  become  much 


VOLTES  AND  DEMI-VOLTES.  163 

more  bent  than  the  near  ones,  and  consequently  their  upward 
action  is  better  marked  and  their  spring  more   energetic* 

If  we  canter  to  the  right,  a  horse  which  has  an  unsound  off 
hock,  caused,  for  instance,  by  a  spavin  or  curb,  he  will 
immediately  become  disunited,  on  account  of  the  movement 
causing  him  pain.  But  if  we  make  him  canter  with  the  near 
fore  leading,  he  will  not  change  his  hind  legs. 

The  off  hock  therefore  exerts  more  force  in  the  canter  to 
the  right,  and  the  near  hock  in  the  canter  to  the  left.  On 
this  account,  the  rider  ought  to  keep  his  legs  firmly  closed, 
especially  during  the  second  period  of  the  canter.  By  doing 
this,  the  hock  which  is  under  the  body,  is  quickened  in  its 
action,  the  horse  is  pressed  forward,  and  is  prevented,  at  the 
second  period  of  the  canter,  from  remaining  longer  on  the 
ground  than  at  the  first  or  third  period.  If  we  do  not  act 
thus,  the  second  period  will  be  slower  and  heavier  than  the 
other  two. 

VOLTES   AND   DEMI-VOLTES   AT   THE   CANTER. 

When  I  have  taught  a  horse  to  canter  in  a  light  and  easy 
way,  I  make  him  do  great  voltes.  It  is  best  to  describe  large 
circles  at  first,  because  it  is  more  difficult  to  keep  a  horse 
straight  in  small  ones. 

Horses  generally  carry  their  haunches  either  to  the  outside 
or  to  the  inside ;  the  former  fault  being  more  easy  to  remedy 
than  the  latter. 

Let  us  suppose  that  the  horse  is  cantering  with  the  off  fore 
leading  and  is  turning  to  the  right.  After  having  closed  the 
legs,  I  carry  the  hands  forward  and  to  the  right, — forward  to 
prevent  him  stopping,  and  to  the  right  to  bring  his  shoulders 

*  Among  ladies'  horses  which  always  canter  with  the  oft"  fore  leading,  the  off" 
hock  always  becomes  prematurely  worn  out.  Ladies  do  not  like  to  canter  to  the 
left,  because  it  displaces  their  seat  too  much.  As  they  are  seated  on  the  near  side 
of  the  horse,  the  propulsion  given  by  the  off"  hock  is  not  made  exactly  under  their 
seat,  hence  the  displacement  is  less  than  in  the  canter  to  the  left. 

II* 


i64  ORDINARY    RIDING. 

away  from  the  wall.  The  off  snaffle  *  rein  should  be  pulled 
to  the  right,  while  the  near  rein  presses  the  neck  and  conse- 
quently the  shoulders  to  the  right,  and  at  the  same  time  it 
helps  the  left  leg  to  support  the  haunches,  and  thus  assists  to 
hold  the  horse  straight.  If  the  horse  tries  to  throw  his  croup 
to  the  left,  my  two  legs  ought  to  increase  their  action  to  push 
him  forward,  the  left  leg  acting  a  little  more  vigorously  than 
the  right,  to  keep  his  right  leg  leading.  The  right  leg  pushes 
the  body  forward  and  forces  the  haunches  to  follow  the  same 
line  as  the  shoulders. 

It  is  very  easy  to  understand  why  I  prefer  a  horse  which 
carries  his  quarters  to  the  outside,  to  one  which  carries  them 
to  the  inside.  In  the  former  case,  the  animal  presses  on  my 
left  leg,  and  I  then  use  the  spur,  which  has  two  objects.  First, 
to  prevent  the  croup  deviating  to  the  left ;  and,  second,  to 
force  the  animal  to  keep  cantering  with  the  off  fore  leading. 
But  if  he  carries  his  quarters  to  the  inside  of  the  circle, 
I  am  obliged  to  use  my  right  leg,  and  sometimes  the  spur, 
with  more  or  less  force,  and  I  thus  run  the  risk  of  making  the 
animal  change  behind.  Also,  the  horse  which  carries  his 
haunches  towards  the  inside  of  the  circle,  is  behind  his  bit. 
These  faults  seldom  appear,  if  we  begin  on  large  circles, 
which  we  should  only  gradually  make  smaller,  and  in  propor- 
tion to  the  ease  with  which  the  horse  does  the  work.  I  may 
add  that  even  in  small  circles  we  should  keep  the  horse  very 
straight. 

Immediately  after,  I  begin  demi-voltes,  which  present  no 
difficulty  if  executed  without  precision,  but  which  are  very 
hard  to  do  in  an  absolutely  correct  manner.  I  have  rarely 
seen  them  thus  done. 

*  I  have  already  said  that  I  always  work  with  the  snaffle  when  beginning  any 
new  exercise.  It  is  the  means  for  direction  ;  and  the  curb,  for  getting  the  horse 
in  hand.  In  proportion  as  the  snaffle  is  brought  into  play,  the  curb  aids  more  and 
more  in  getting  the  animal  into  hand.  This  continual  action  of  the  curb  is  found 
in  all  exercises  to  be  associated  with  the  action  of  the  snaffle  in  trivinij  direction. 


VOLTES  AND  DEMI-VOLTES.  165 

The  horse  behig  placed  straight  and  in  hand,  as  in  the  voltes, 
ought  to  leave  the  wall.  When  he  has  made  three  strides,  he 
ought  to  cover  the  rest  of  the  ground  on  two  tracks,  while 
coming  up  to  the  wall. 

To  go  on  two  tracks,  while  the  horse  is  cantering  with  the 
■off  fore  leading,  the  off  snaffle  rein  pulls  the  head  and  neck  a 
little  to  the  right,  whilst  the  near  rein,  being  applied  against 
the  neck,  presses  the  shoulders  to  the  right.  The  left  leg 
causes  the  haunches  to  move  to  the  right,  and  the  right  leg 
helps  to  press  the  horse  forward  and  to  keep  him  in  hand, 
which  is  important,  because  he  has  to  advance  while  going  to 
the  side. 

On  arriving  at  the  wall,  which  is  on  the  right  of  the  rider, 
Ave  should  straighten  the  horse,*  stop  him,  get  him  into  hand 
at  the  walk,  and  start  him  into  the  canter  with  the  near  fore 
leading.     We  can  do  the  same  work  on  the  other  foot. 

When  the  horse  can  do  demi-voltes  well,  I  prolong  them 
for  some  strides  at  the  canter,  without  changing  the  leg. 
Thus,  I  begin  the  demi-volte  at  the  wall,  which  is  on  my  left. 
\\'hile  cantering  the  horse  with  the  off  fore  leading,  I  turn  to 
the  right,  and  continue  to  keep  up  the  canter  on  the  off  fore, 
even  after  the  demi-volte,  but  only  during  two  or  three  strides 
at  the  first  attempt.  I  increase  the  number  of  these  strides 
only  little  b)-  little,  according  to  the  lightness  and  cleverness 
of  the  horse.  This  is  the  most  simple  way  to  teach  a  horse 
to  canter  with  the  right  leg  when  turning  to  the  left ;  and 
"I'ice  versa.  This  exercise  is  indispensable  if  we  wish  to 
readily  obtain  changes  of  leg  wheii  cantering  round  to  the 
right  or  left. 

When  the  horse  goes  round  the  school  correctl)'  on  the  leg 
which  is  next  to  the  wall,  we  should  start  several  times  with 
the  off  fore  leading,  and  also  with  the  near  fore  leading,  both 

*  The  shoulders  should  arrive  fust  at  the  wall,    so  that  the  movement   may  be 
correct. 


i66  ORDINARY    RIDING. 

to  the  right  and  to  the  left,  while  always  keeping  him  along 
the  wall. 

CHANGES    OF   LEG. 

When  a  horse  at  the  canter  leads  equally  well  with  both 
legs,  it  is  necessary  that  the  rider  should  make  him  strike  off 
with  whichever  leg  he  likes.  He  should  also  know  how  to 
make  the  horse  change  his  leg,  namely,  to  pass  from  one 
canter  into  the  other  canter  without  stopping.  This  is  not 
high  school  -work,  but  belongs  to  ordinary  riding,  whether 
practised  in  the  school  or  outside. 

If,  for  example,  we  are  at  the  canter  with  the  horse's  near 
fore  leading,  and  we  wish  to  turn  to  the  right,  it  is  impossible 
to  make  this  change  of  direction  without  danger.  In  fact, 
the  near  leg,  which  is  in  advance,  will  cross  the  off  leg,  and 
the  horse  will  probably  fall,  in  which  case  the  rider  will  be 
almost  certain  to  blame  the  horse  ;  but  the  fault  is  his  own.* 

If,  when  cantering  with  the  near  fore  leading,  w^e  wish  to 
turn  to  the  right,  while  maintaining  the  same  pace,  we  should 
first  of  all  make  the  horse  change  his  leg,  in  which  case  the 
turning  movement  will  be  made  easily  and  without  danger. 
In  fact,  the  horse  will  have  his  head  and  body  bent  towards 
the  side  to  which  he  is  turning.  Further,  it  is  the  forward 
leg  which  covers  the  ground  of  the  side  to  which  the  change  of 
direction  is  being  made.j" 

*  A  horse  which  crosses  his  legs  may  escape  falling,  but  only  if  he  is  lucky. 

If  a  horse  which  is  cantering  with  the  near  fore,  falls  on  being  turned  to 
the  right,  he  does  so  because  he  is  abruptly  put  into  the  position  for  the  canter  to 
the  right.  In  high  school  riding  we  succeed  very  well  in  turning  to  the  right, 
while  our  horse  canters  with  the  near  fore.  To  do  this  we  should  make  a  large 
circle  when  turning,  should  always  keep  the  horse  in  the  position  of  the  canter 
to  the  left,  and  should  even  exaggerate  this  position,  by  using  the  right  leg  to  push 
the  croup  a  little  more  to  the  left.     It  is  easier  to  change  the  leg. 

t  With  respect  to  changes  of  direction,  I  give  the  following  advice  :  always 
enlarge  the  circle  as  much  as  possible  ;  slacken  the  speed  a  little  when  turning ; 
and  if  not  quite  certain  of  the  change  of  leg — which  is  difficult  in  propor- 
tion to  the  speed — it  is  best  before  turning  to  make  the  horse  change  into  the 
trot  and  not  to  put  him  into  the  canter  again  until  he  has  completed  the  turn. 


CHANGES   OF   LEG.  167 

W'e  should  exercise  great  care  in  teaching  the  horse  to 
change  his  leg. 

It  is  very  difificult  to  lay  down  in  a  book  the  exact  time 
when  a  horse  is  ready  to  learn  changes  of  leg.  I  can  only 
say,  in  a  general  way,  that  the  proper  time  is  when  he  has 
become  free,  supple,  light,  and  well  balanced  in  all  his  paces, 
obedient,  and  above  all  things,  attentive  to  the  "  aids ,"  by 
means  of  the  exercises  we  have  described. 

We  have  now  arrived  at  the  point  when  the  horse  will  start 
freely  into  the  canter  with  the  off  fore  leading  when  going  to 
the  right,  and  with  the  near  fore  when  going  to  the  left,  and 
that  he  will  do  so  with  equal  freedom  on  both  legs. 

To  obtain  a  change  of  leg,  I  proceed  in  the  following 
manner  :*  I  start  the  horse  into  the  canter  on  the  off  fore 
while  going  to  the  right  When  he  has  gone  some  strides  on 
this  leg,  I  stop  him  and  make  him  start  off  on  the  near  fore 
while  circling  to  the  right,  and  taking  care  to  hold  him  as 
straight  as  possible.  I  repeat  this  work  several  times,  and 
continue  it  until  I  feel  that  the  horse  is  perfectly  light  in  hand, 
and  that  he  will  start  off  into  the  canter  at  the  slightest 
pressure  of  the  legs,  without  hurrying  himself  and  without 
trying  to  carry  his  haunches  out  of  the  straight  line. 

To  make  sure  that  the  horse  does  not  carry  himself  sideways, 
we  should  start  him  at  about  a  yard  away  from  the  wall, 
although  it  is  difficult  to  do  so.-f-  The  result  of  this  is  to 
make  the  rider  keep  the  horse  very  straight,  without  the  help 
of  the  wall,  and,  at  the  same  time,  to  make  him  more  precise 
in  his  work. 

We  should  not  try  to  get  the  horse  to  change  his  leg  away 
from  the  wall,  before  making  him  do  so,  while  going  along  it. 
The  horse  should  also  very  readily  start  into  the  canter  on  the 

*  I  again  repeat  that  I  always  begin  a  new  work  at  the  end  of  a  lesson. 

t  The  difficulty  is  not  in  starting,  but  in  keeping  the  horse  at  a  uniform  dis- 
tance from  the  wall  while  holding  him  straight. 


i68  ORDINARY   RIDING. 

leg  we  wish,  when  we  have  placed  him  in  the  position  to  do 
so,  and  have  given  him  the  proper  indication  with  the  legs.* 
I  then  start  him  into  the  canter  on  the  off  fore,  and  keep  him 
at  it  until  he  becomes  quiet.  I  then  walk  him  for  a  minute 
or  two,  and  put  him  into  the  canter  on  the  near  fore,  and 
keep  him  at  it,  the  same  as  before,  until  he  is  light  and  quiet, 
after  which  I  again  walk  him  for  some  moments.  Finally,  I 
start  him  into  the  canter  on  the  off  fore,  and  so  on.  I  there- 
fore make  successive  starts  at  the  canter,  each  one  being  on  a 
different  leg.  Little  by  little  I  shorten  the  periods  during 
which  I  let  the  horse  walk  between  the  starts  at  the  canter,  in 
such  a  way  that  he  does  not  take,  for  instance,  more  than  five, 
four,  three,  two,  and  finally,  one  step  between  the  respective 
starts.  At  last  he  learns  to  start  into  the  canter  alternately 
from  the  stationary  foot  to  the  other  foot,  the  starts  being 
interrupted  only  by  the  halt. 

Thus,  the  horse  having  been  started  into  the  canter  on  the 
off  fore,  is  stopped,  and  is  immediately  started  again  into  the 
canter  on  the  near  fore,  this  change  of  leg  being  helped  by 
the  halt.  As  the  true  change  of  leg  is  done  without  halting, 
it  is  called  a  change  of  leg  in  the  air. 

At  this  period  of  his  training  the  horse  is  ready  for  the 
change  of  leg,  which  I  ought  to  be  able  to  make  him 
do  without  upsetting  him  in  the  least.  I  start  him  into 
the  canter  on  the  near  fore,  while  going  to  the  right. 
He  therefore  canters  on  the  outward  leg,"|*  and  I 
support  him  at  that  time  with  the  near  rein  and  right 
leg,  which  gives  a  stronger  pressure  than  the  left 
leg.  When  I  come  to  a  corner  of  the  school  I  completely 
change  my  "  aids,"  and   use  the  off  rein  and  left  leg.     This 

*  Position  by  legs  and  hands  and  stimulation  by  the  legs  arc  two  most  im- 
portant principles  in  riding. 

t  In  this  case  he  is  cantering  "false,"  which  is  the  term  used  by  English 
cavalrymen.  • 


CHANGES   OF   LEG.  169 

chani^e  of  "  aids  "  ought  to  be  done  with  great  decision  and 
perfect  combination.  In  order  for  the  movement  to  be  well 
done,  it  should  be  executed  with  extreme  quickness,  and  with- 
out the  slightest  jerk.  .  This  quickness  and  smoothness  are 
possible  onl)-  if  the  rider  has  constantly  taken  the  precaution 
of  lightly  feeling  the  off  rein,  and  of  keeping  the  left  leg  very 
close  to  the  animal's  side,  so  that  he  need  only  feel  this  rein  a 
little  stronger  and  press  the  leg  a  little  more.  As  the  horse 
has  already  lightly  felt  the  off  rein,  and  as  the  left  leg  has 
been  kept  very  close  to  his  side,  there  will  be  neither  jerk  nor 
irritation  to  the  horse  when  this  hand  and  this  leg  predomi- 
nate in  their  turn. 

Finally,  as  we  have  practised  our  horse  to  start  on  the  off 
leg,  by  the  action  of  the  off  rein  and  left  leg,  and  as  we  ask  him 
to  do  this  first  change  of  leg  when  turning  to  the  right,  which 
will  be  easier  for  him  to  do  than  when  turning  to  the  left,  he  will 
very  rarely  refuse  to  do  so,  even  at  the  first  time.  If,  however, 
he  does  not  obey,  we  must  not  persist  in  roughly  forcing  him, 
because  that  would  cause  him  to  throw  his  haunches  to  the 
right,  and  make  him  afraid  of  the  change  of  leg,  which  he 
would  not  understand.  He  should  be  stopped,  brought  into 
hand  at  the  walk,  made  to  start  on  the  near  fore,  and  then 
asked  to  change  his  leg.  But  before  doing  this  we  should 
wait  until  he  has  got  quiet. 

The  fact  of  the  horse  failing  to  do  a  change  of  leg  several 
times,  is  a  proof  that  his  preparation  is  insufficient;  that  being 
surprised  by  the  "  aids  "  he  tried  to  escape  or  throw  himself  to 
one  side  ;  or  that  he  did  not  understand  what  we  wanted.  In 
all  these  cases  we  should  begin  starting  him  afresh.  Any 
failure  in  this  respect  will  be  extremely  rare  if  the  horse  has 
been  properly  prepared. 

Whenever  we  meet  with  a  difficulty  we  should  go  back  to 
the  start,  with  the  near  fore  leading,  or  with  the  off  fore  lead- 
ing.    B)-  these  repeated  starts  with  a  halt,  we  shall  succeed  in 


I/O  ORDINARY    RIDING. 

making  the  change  of  leg  so  easy,  that  the  horse  will  often  do 
it  on  his  own  account,  when  prompted  merely  by  the  pre- 
parations to  which  he  has  been  submitted.  In  fact,  when  we 
stop  him  on  one  leg,  the  "  aids  "  ought  to  slightly  prepare  him 
to  start  off  on  the  other  leg. 

Whenever  I  have  had  time  to  prepare  a  horse,  I  have  never 
failed  to  make  him  change  his  leg  at  the  first  attempt.  What- 
ever kind  of  horse  he  may  be,  he  will  always  do  one  change 
correctly,  after  having  failed  to  do  several.  We  should  then 
get  off,  pat  him  on  the  neck,  and  send  him  back  to  his  stable. 
At  the  following  lesson  we  ought  to  repeat  and  prolong  the 
same  lesson,  until  the  animal  changes  easily  from  the  near  fore 
to  the  off  fore.  Having  then  turned  round,  so  as  to  go  to  the 
left,  we  should,  in  the  same  way,  make  him  change  from  the 
off  fore  to  the  near  fore. 

We  should  always  avoid  making  him  change  at  the  same 
place,  as  that  would  always  make  him  want  to  change 
when  he  passes  it.  It  would  therefore  become  impossible  to 
make  him  change  as  we  wish,  because  our  will  would  be 
subordinated  to  his.* 

When  I  have  got  the  horse  to  readily  change  from  the  out- 
ward to  the  inward  leg  in  the  corners,  I  put  him  to  do  the 
same  work  on  a  straight  line. 

The  change  of  leg  should  be  required  only  at  a  certain 
period  of  the  stride,  when  it  is  easiest  for  the  horse  to  do.     As 

*  I  have  said  that  in  all  things  horses  acquire  habits  with  great  facility. 
Therefore,  during  breaking,  we  should  most  carefully  avoid  giving  him  bench- 
marks (if  I  may  use  the  term),  whether  by  putting  him  to  the  same  work  at  the- 
same  place,  or  by  repeating  different  exercises  in  the  same  order.  This  advice  is, 
I  think,  all  the  more  important,  because  the  majority  of  riding  masters  persistently 
give  bench-marks  to  their  horses,  which  makes  the  breaking  apparently  more 
easy.  Although  the  horse  by  routine  does  his  work  at  a  given  moment,  at  certain 
spots,  and  according  to  a  j)rearranged  programme,  he  is  not  properly  trained, 
because,  so  far  from  being  submissive  to  the  will  of  his  rider,  the  rider  has  to 
accommodate  himself  to  the  habits  of  the  animal.  Consequently  the  horse  is 
habituated,  or,  as  we  may  say,  "  routined,"  but  he  is  not  l)rokcn  iia. 


CHANGES   OF   LEG.  171 

I  have  already  said,  each  stride  is  composed  of  three  distinct 
periods,  which  are  marked  by  the  feet  of  the  horse  coming 
down  on  the  ground.  In  reahty  there  is  a  fourth,  namely,  the 
period  of  suspension,  which  is  not  marked. 

The  canter  to  the  right  may  be  divided  as  follows:  ist 
period,  near  hind  ;  2nd  period,  off  hind  and  near  fore  ;  and 
3rd  period,  off  fore.  The  fourth  period  begins  at  the  moment 
the  off  fore  leaves  the  ground,  and  ends  when  the  near  hind  is 
placed  on  the  ground.  At  this  moment  the  horse  is  in  the  air> 
between  the  third  period  of  one  stride  and  the  first  period  of 
the  next  stride. 

The  best  time  to  obtain  the  change  of  leg  is  at  the  fourth 
period,  because  the  horse  is  then  in  the  air.* 

*  Baucher  gives  no  explanation  of  this  subject.  The  majority  of  riding 
masters  make  this  change  of  leg  during  support,  and  not  when  the  horse  is  in  the 
air,  as  I  have  advised.  Their  plan  gives  rise  to  an  inevitable  halt,  which 
destroys  the  rhythm  of  the  canter,  and  consequently  alters  the  canter.  My 
method,  on  the  contrary,  maintains  the  canter  with  all  its  impulse,  and  allows, 
the  rider  to  lengthen  or  shorten  the  stride,  as  he  may  wish,  in  all  the  changes 
of  leg. 

A  correctly  executed  change  of  leg  at  each  stride  thus  forms  a  true  pace,  at 
which  I  obtain  so  much  impulse  that  I  am  ready,  without  false  modesty,  to- 
challenge  anyone  to  have  a  race  at  it. 

On  this  subject  I  sent  the  following  letter  to  the  editor  of  Gil  Bias,  who- 
declined  to  publish  it.  I  fortunately  got  it  inserted  in  the  Echo  de  Paris,  but  it 
received  no  answer  : — 

"  Paris,  27th  August,  1 890. 
"To  THE  Editor  Gil  Bias. 
"Sir,— 

"  Baron  de  Vaux  has  severely  criticised  my  book  and  my  riding  in  a  long 
article  which  recently  appeared  in  Gil  Bias.  It  has  in  no  way  annoyed  me,  and 
I,  being  a  horseman,  have  not  the  rashness  to  find  fault  with  the  criticism  of  a 
penman. 

"  There  is,  however,  one  point  which  I  think  is  worthy  of  notice,  because  it 
can  be  submitted  to  practical  proof. 

"The  writer  of  the  article  tries  to  make  out  that  I  do  not  hold  my  horses 
straight  in  the  changes  of  leg.  If  this  be  true,  I  must  necessarily  lose  ground  in 
forward  progression.  That  being  the  case,  I  propose  a  race  of  changes  of  leg  at 
each  stride,  which  I  believe  is  an  original  idea  that  has  never  been  tried.  The 
winner  will,  of  course,  be  he  whose  horse  is  the  straighter  of  the  two. 


1/2  ORDINARY   RIDING. 

To  obtain  the  change  of  leg  during  the  fourth  period,  we 
should  give  the  signal  to  the  horse  during  the  second  period, 
when  the  diagonal  is  in  support.  When  cantering  to  the 
right,  the  effect  of  the  spur,  at  the  moment  when  the  left 
-diagonal  is  in  support,  will  be  a  vigorous  straightening  of  the 
off  hock,  which  will  forcibly  send  the  near  shoulder  in  advance 
of  the  off  shoulder  when  the  horse  is  in  the  air. 

The  near  hind  leg  will  go  in  advance  of  the  off  hind  leg  all 
the  more  easily,  because  it  is  off  the  ground  when  the  off  hock 
gives  its  push.  Under  these  conditions,  after  the  spur  has 
touched  the  horse  during  the  second  period,  the  third  period 
(support  by  the  off  fore)  loses  the  greater  part  of  its  impulse 
in  the  stride,  and  will  be  accentuated  only  as  much  as  the 
equilibrium  may  require,  because  it  is  the  off  hock  which  has 
given  the  increased  propulsion  necessary  for  a  change  of  leg. 

Everyone  can  now  understand  the  meaning  of  change  of 
leg  in  the  air. 

The  reversed  indications  are  used  for  changing  from  the 
near  fore  to  the  off  fore. 

In  this  chapter  I  have  spoken  of  changes  of  leg  onl}^  from 
an  ordinary  point  of  view.  Later  on  I  \\'ill  discuss  this 
subject  with  respect  to  high  school  work. 

THE    HACK. 

I  will  not  try  to  describe  the  proper  type  of  hack,  because 
every   riding   man   or  woman  has  his  or  her  own  ideal,  which 

"  As  Baron  de  Vaux  knows  many  riding  masters  whom  lie  favoural)ly 
criticises,  I  would  like  to  get  one  of  them  to  accept  my  challenge. 

"  I  am  ready  to  accept  my  adversary's  conditions  as  regards  ground  and 
length  of  course.  He  can  also  fix  the  stake,  which  should  go  to  a  public 
charity. 

"This    will    be    a    gootl    business    for    the    poor,    if    not    for    riding.      Ten 
thousand  francs,  for  instance,  will  give  them  a  great  deal  of  pleasure. 
"  I  am,   Sir, 

"  Your  most  obedient  servant, 

"James  Fh.i.is." 


THE    HACK.  175 

the  riders  choose  according  to  their  habits,  temperament,  and 
style  of  riding.  Horses  have  certain  innate  qualities  which 
cannot  be  given  or  replaced  by  breeding,  rearing,  or 
breaking. 

The  first  thing  to  require  is  surefootedness,  which  is  a 
sine  qua  non.  It  is  absolutely  necessary  that  the  animal  will 
make  no  mistake  at  any  of  his  paces.  Hence  we  like  our 
horses  to  raise  their  feet  freely  and  to  place  them  in  a  well- 
balanced  manner  on  the  ground.  A  horse  which  drags  his 
legs,  or  "  daisy  cuts,"  is  apt  to  make  a  false  step  by  striking 
a  stone  or  other  inequality  on  the  ground,  and  may  conse- 
quently fall  down. 

A  horse  which  brings  his  toe  first  on  the  ground  will  be 
very  apt  to  stumble,  which  is  a  fault  we  find  among  animals 
which  "  daisy  cut."  A  horse  which  raises  his  feet  properly, 
cannot  dig  his  toes  into  the  ground,  and  must  necessarily 
place  them  flat. 

A  hack  should  have  pluck.  That  is  to  say,  he  should  not 
be  restless  or  nervous.  No  amount  of  training  can  cure  a 
horse  of  stumbling,  or  give  pluck  to  an  animal  which  is 
always  ready  to  shy  or  spin  round. 

As  long  as  a  good  rider  holds  his  horse  between  his  hands 
and  knees,  and  is  on  the  alert,*  he  will  save  him  from  break- 

*  We  should  not  only  watch  a  skittish  horse,  but  should  also  engage  his  atten- 
tion as  soon  as  he  shows  any  signs  of  nervousness.  In  such  cases  many  riders 
will  not  use  their  legs  for  fear  of  exciting  the  animal,  and  they  continually  hang  on 
to  the  reins,  especially  those  of  the  snaffle.  By  allowing  him  to  be  a  prey  to  his 
fear,  the  rider  does  the  very  thing  to  increase  it.  By  giving  the  animal  a  support 
on  the  bit,  he  is  placed  in  the  most  favourable  condition  to  play  up. 

We  should  act  in  an  entirely  different  manner,  and,  by  the  energetic  use  of  the 
legs,  should  drive  the  horse  forward  ;  because,  at  the  first  show  of  uneasiness,  his 
tendency  will  necessarily  be  to  get  behind  his  bit,  which  is  a  preparation  for 
shying,  spinning  round,  and  rearing.  We  should  at  the  same  time  profit  by  the 
impulse  given,  in  order  to  place  the  horse  vigorously  but  lightly  in  hand,  by 
means  of  the  alternate  effects  of  the  curb  and  snaffle.  Having  got  him  in 
hand,  we  should  give  him  a  lateral  flexion  to  the  side  opposite  to  which  his 
object  of  terror  is  on.  Finally,  while  keeping  him  well  in  hand,  we  should 
press  him  boldly  forward,  which  is,  in  every  case,  the  least  dangerous  thing  ta 


174  ORDINARY   RIDING. 

ing  his  knees  or  from  meeting  with  any  other  accident.  But, 
if  he  relaxes  his  attention,  he  will  run  a  good  chance  of 
bringing  back  a  blemished  horse  to  his  stable.  Under  these 
conditions,  hacking  ceases  to  be  a  pleasure  and  becomes  a 
labour,  a  continual  preoccupation,  and  an  ennui  which  soon 
makes  one  hate  riding. 

We  see  that  the  two  first  good  qualities  of  a  hack  are 
surefootedness  and  pluck. 

In  my  opinion  there  is  a  third  quality  which  excels  the 
first  two,  because  it  includes  them  and  everything  else  which 
we  desire  from  a  horse.  This  supreme  quality  in  every 
horse  is  impetuosity,  namely,  energy,  fire,  courage,  and 
constant  readiness  to  go  forward. 

A  horse  which  is  not  surefooted  knows  his  defect,  will 
always  be  hesitating,  and  will  not  dare  to  rush  forward.  A 
horse  which  is  not  plucky  is  always  ready  to  get  behind  his 
bit.  A  horse  which  is  a  free  goer  is  confident  in  being  able 
to  keep  his  feet,  and,  though  glad  to  go  forward,  he  does  not 
get  disturbed  by  the  things  which  he  passes.  No  matter 
what  may  be  the  breed  or  shape,  a  horse,  like  a  man,  takes 
his  value  from  his  mental  qualities.  Energy  and  heart  make 
the  horse.  What  use  is  the  most  beautiful  railway  engine,  if 
it  has  no  steam  to  drive  it  along  the  rails  ? 

Above  all  theories,  there  is  the  fact  that  the  only  good  horse 
for  every  kind  of  work,  whether  for  high  school  equitation  or 
outside,  is  the  horse  which  will  go  forward :  that  is  to  say,  an 
impetuous  horse.  By  this,  I  of  course  do  not  mean  an 
animal  which  has  irregular  paces,  is  restless,  vicious,  apt  to 
^'  play  up  "  on  no  provocation,  and  is  ready  to  run  away. 

do.  These  manoeuvres  will  turn  the  attention  of  the  startled  animal  from  his 
cause  of  fear,  and  will  place  him  in  the  most  favourable  position  to  avoid 
violence  or  disorder.  It  is  evident  that  we  should  use  these  means  in  pro- 
portion to  the  skittishness  shown  by  the  animal.  As  a  general  rule,  when  a 
horse  becomes  impatient,  we  should  send  him  up  to  his  bit  by  the  vigorous 
application  of  the  legs,  and  he  will  instantly  become  quiet. 


THE    HACK.  175 

The  impetuous  horse  is  one  which  wishes  only  to  go 
forward,  and  in  consequence  of  his  being  well  balanced  and 
having  plenty  of  natural  energy,  he  goes  freely  up  to  his 
bridle.  True  balance  and  natural  energy  are  innate  qualities 
in  him,  because  they  are  conditions  of  his  being :  this  in- 
cludes everything.  Equitation  cannot  exist  without  energy. 
In  the  horse  I  speak  of,  the  energy  is  already  made,  and  he 
gives  it  to  his  rider.  It  is  easier,  as  I  have  said,  to  profit  by 
impulse  than  to  create  it.  The  fault  of  being  behind  the  bit 
is  the  stumbling  block  in  every  kind  of  riding,  and  the 
natural  disposition  of  an  impetuous  horse  is  directly  opposed 
to  this  tendency. 

In  every  case,  no  matter  what  happens,  a  forward  move- 
ment is  the  least  displacing  one  for  the  rider.  The  fact  of 
Arab  horses  being  hot,  generally  makes  them  easy  and 
agreeable  to  ride.  These  animals  canter  high,  and  always 
bring  the  hocks  well  under  the  body. 

For  the  above  reasons  I  am  right  in  saying  that  every  horse 
which  is  not  hot  is  fit  only  to  be  put  between  the  shafts. 

As  a  rule,  people  are  afraid  of  an  impetuous  horse,  and 
they  are  wrong ;  because  he  is  the  only  one  which  will  be 
faithful,  and  will  not  do  them  a  bad  turn.  He  is  the  only 
animal  which,  by  reason  of  his  constant  desire  to  go  forward, 
is  plucky  even  in  his  defences. 

The  sluggish  horse,  which  is  generally  preferred,  can 
neither  be  reliable  nor  plucky.  In  every  case,  so  far  from 
giving  himself  up  to  his  rider,  he  continually  restrains  him- 
self, and  is  always  ready  to  keep  behind  the  bit,  which,  in  my 
eyes,  is  the  worst  of  all  faults.  He  thinks  only  of  returning 
to  his  stable,*  and  tries  to  take  advantage  of  every  chance  to 

*  The  tendency  of  every  horse,  no  matter  how  impetuous  he  may  be,  is  to 
return  to  the  stable  quicker  than  he  left  it. 

In  order  that  the  rider  may  not  be  obliged  to  come  back  quicker  than  he  went 
out,  I  advise  him  to  begin  his  ride  at  a  fast  pace,  so  as  to  quieten  the  animal 
down,  which   is  most  important    later  on  for  preventing  him  jibbing,  shying, 


176  ORDINARY   RIDING. 

gratify  this  caprice.  If  we  wish  to  go  fast,  and  quiet  means 
are  not  sufficient,  we  should  use  the  spurs  or  whip.  When 
the  sluggish  horse  defends  himself,  he  does  so  with  all  the 
more  spite,  because  he  has  kept  back  all  his  energy  to  oppose 
the  will  of  the  rider.  There  is  a  great  difference  between  the 
two,  because  the  impetuous  animal  gives  all  his  strength  for 
the  advantage  of  the  rider  ;  and  the  sluggish  horse,  for  the 
detriment  of  the  man  in  the  saddle.* 

A  cold  horse  does  not  take  us  into  his  confidence,  because 
when  riding  him  we  are  obliged  to  vigorously  use  the  "  aids," 
which  are  a  punishment  to  him. 

A  liot  horse  which  gives  himself  up  wholly  to  his  rider,  gets 
only  pats  on  the  neck,  and  appreciates  all  the  slight  differ- 
ences in  the  indications  of  the  "  aids."  There  is  neither  fear 
nor  distrust  between  the  two. 

Many  riders  find  fault  with  hot  horses,  because  they  are 
impatient,  and  start  off  at  a  quick  pace  immediately  the 
reins  are  touched.  The  fault  is  on  their  side.  In  fact,  when- 
ever we  wish  to  go  rather  fast,  we  begin  by  shortening  the 

kicking,  etc.  If  we  take  the  trouble  to  make  the  horse  return  at  a  slow  pace, 
during  a  certain  time,  we  shall  succeed  in  being  able  to  regulate  his  paces  as  we 
wish  for  the  entire  period  of  the  ride,  and  we  shall  thus  prevent  him  pulling  or 
starting  off  at  a  canter  the  moment  his  head  is  turned  home. 

I  also  advise  that  the  horse  should  not  be  turned  sharply  round  to  come  back 
to  his  stable  by  the  road  he  came  out.  Such  a  habit  would  prompt  him  to  pull 
immediately  he  was  turned. 

*In  1857,  at  Chalon-sur-Saone,  two  horses  were  brought  into  the  riding  school 
to  be  broken.  One  was  so  skittish  and  lively  that  I  found  it  extremely  difficult 
to  put  my  foot  into  the  stirrup.  After  having  made  several  unsuccessful  attempts, 
they  took  me  by  the  seat  of  the  trousers  and  threw  me  into  the  saddle.  When  I 
got  there,  the  horse  did  nothing  wrong,  and  went  forward  well  in  hand  as  soon  as 
I  stopped  holding  him  back. 

As  the  other  horse  held  his  head  down,  did  not  move,  and  looked  like  a  sheep, 
the  master  of  the  riding  school  thought  he  was  quiet,  and  mounted  him  without 
any  trouble,  but  he  did  not  remain  in  the  saddle  long,  because  this  supposed  cold- 
tempered  horse  bucked  him  off  at  the  first  attempt,  but  the  hot  horse  carried 
me  gaily  round  the  school.  The  conclusion  which  I  draw  from  this,  is  that  we 
should  distrust  a  horse  which  looks  too  quiet,  and  that  we  should  not  be  afraid  of 
an  impetuous  animal. 


THE    HACK.  177 

reins,  and  the  horse  quickly  establishes  a  connection  between 
these  two  acts.  Ikit  if,  in  place  of  starting  off  the  moment 
we  adjust  the  reins,  we  keep  the  horse  at  the  walk,  he  will 
not  contract  this  bad  habit,  or  he  will  give  it  up  if  he  has 
acquired  it.  The  signal  for  a  fast  pace  should  be  given  only 
with  the  heels. 

With  respect  to  breed,  we  find  in  the  first  line  in  this 
book,  the  cry  of  my  heart :  "  I  break  only  thorough-breds."* 
I  unhesitatingly  put  thorough-breds  above  all  others,  whether 
for  hacking  or  for  high  school  riding.  They  are  pre-eminently 
the  best  for  all  kinds  of  work.  Besides,  a  man  who  has  got 
into  the  habit  of  riding  thorough-breds,  will  not  care  to  ride 
any  other  horses. 

For  me  the  ruling  qualities  of  the  thorough-bred  are  the 
lightness,  the  elasticity  of  the  fine  steel  spring  which  puts 
them  into  action,  and  the  suppleness  which  will  be  developed 
by  breaking.  If  we  listen  from  afar  off,  for  the  sound  of  his 
foot-falls,  we  shall  hardly  hear  them  on  account  of  the  light- 

*  I  wrote  this  book  at  the  time  when  I  made  my  debut  at  the  Hippodrome 
with  Germinal  and  Markir.  Remarks  were  made  on  the  apparent  contradiction 
between  my  statement  that  I  broke  only  thorough-breds  and  the  fact  that  I  had 
carried  the  breaking  of  the  half-bred  Markir  as  far  as  with  any  other  horse,  no 
matter  what  his  breed  might  be. 

The  truth  is  that  I  bought  Alarkir,  not  only  on  account  of  his  good  points,  but 
also  for  his  strength  and  activity,  which  I  greatly  admired.  While  breaking  him, 
I  often  asked  myself  if  he  would  do  all  I  expected,  and  I  frequently  feared  that 
his  abilities  would  not  come  up  to  my  requirements,  which  he  amply  fulfilled  to 
my  great  surprise,  and  to  such  an  extent  that  I  determined  to  find  out  if  the 
pedigree  he  had  been  given  was  correct.  I  therefore  wrote  to  my  friend  Lenoble 
du  Theil  at  the  Haras  du  Pin,  and  told  him  that  Markir  had  been  sold  to  me  as 
being  out  of  the  thorough-bred  mare  Theresine  by  the  Norfolk  half-bred 
Weighton  Merrylegs,  and  I  begged  him  to  see  if  this  was  right.  Imagine  my 
surprise  and  joy  on  receiving  the  following  answer:  "  The  thorough-bred  mare 
Theresine  was  put  to  Merrylegs,  but  did  not  hold,  and  was  covered  two  months 
later  by  Cyrus,  which  is  a  thorough-bred  Anglo-Arab,  and  the  sire  of 
Markir." 

Markir  is  therefore  thorough-bred.  The  curious  thing  about  this  matter 
is  that  it  was  proved  by  practical  experiment  before  any  investigations  had 
been  made. 

12 


178  ORDINARY   RIDING. 

ness  with  which  he  puts  his  feet  on  the  ground.  He  skims 
the  ground,  which  he  treads  with  a  dehcacy  full  of  energy. 
The  feet  of  other  horses,  compared  to  his,  clatter  and  hammer 
the  ground,  and  their  paces  are  much  heavier. 

On  the  other  hand,  there  are  many  excellent  half-breds. 
We  sometimes  meet  with  horses  which  show  no  signs  of 
breeding,  but  which  develop  marvellous  qualities  in  the  same 
way  that  certain  thorough-breds  of  illustrious  pedigrees  are 
mere  garrons.*  This  prompts  me  to  again  say  that  a  horse 
should  above  all  things  be  Iwt.  I  may  add  that  the 
thorough-bred  is  incomparable  in  courage  and  energy. 

As  the  thorough-bred  has  the  reputation  of  being  cold, 
I  shall  no  doubt  be  asked  how  I  can  reconcile  my  love  for 
him  with  the  superiority  which  I  claim  for  the  Iwt  horse  ? 
This  contradiction  is  only  apparent,  and  I  find  that  I  have 
already  explained  it.  There  are  cold  horses  and  hot  horses 
among  thorough-breds,  as  there  are  among  other  breeds.  I 
will  even  say  that  the  innate  energy  of  a  thorough-bred 
will    more   easily    make  him  generous,  if  he  is  ridden  as  he 

*  Nothing  is  more  deceptive,  even  for  speed,  than  pedigrees.  Paternal  and 
maternal  atavism  jumble  up  everything.  Nevertheless,  certain  sires  transmit 
characteristic  points  to  the  majority  of  their  progeny. 

I  have  ridden  four  horses  sired  by  Vermouth  and  broken  two  of  them.  All 
four  were  sulky  and  required  punishment  to  make  them  pass  their  stable.  As 
long  as  they  were  ridden  vigorously  they  went  on  a  little,  but  no  one  could  make 
them  move  freely  except  when  they  were  playing  up.  I  kept  my  eye  on  them 
for  a  long  time,  and  found  that  they  all  turned  jibbers. 

The  progeny  of  Zutare  nervous,  ticklish  and  restive. 

The  stock  of  Parmesan  and  Gantelet  are  excellent  horses,  supple,  energetic 
and  good-tempered. 

The  stock  of  Clocher  are  good,  but  not  handsome  ;  they  can  stay  and  carry 
weight.  The  same  can  be  said  of  the  sons  and  daughters  of  Braconnier,  which  are 
not  so  good-tempered  as  those  of  Clocher. 

Horses  got  by  Castillon  are  slugs. 

Flavio  sires  good,  supple  and  very  wiry,  though  hot-tempered  horses.  It  is 
clear  that  observations  of  this  kind,  which  could  be  multiplied  to  infinity,  are  all 
the  less  exact,  because  the  influence  of  the  dam  has  not  been  taken  into  considera- 
tion. Nevertheless,  they  are  partly  true,  and  are  consequently  worthy  of 
mention. 


THE   HACK.  179 

ought  to  be,  and  if  he  is  asked  to  do  what  may  be  expected 
from  his  conformation  and  propelHng  power. 

The  fact  is  that  the  horses  which  are  selected  for  the  turf 
are  long-striding  animals,  which  consequently  "  daisy  cut."* 
A  horse  which  has  high  action  is  not  admitted  into  a  training 
stable,  which  fact  enables  me  to  obtain  in  him  all  the 
generosity  and  heat  which  I  value  above  all  things, 
whether  for  hacking  or  for  high  school  riding. 

People  say  that  the  thorough-bred  does  not  make  a  good 
trotter  ;  but  the  reason  for  this  statement  would  be 
difficult  to  give.  On  the  contrary,  the  make  and  shape  of 
the  thorough-bred  are  admirably  suited  for  all  three  paces.  It 
is  merely  a  question  of  education.  We  can  train  thorough- 
breds to  the  trot,  as  well  as  to  the  canter,  and  I  have  known 
thorough-breds  which  were  wonderfully  good  trotters. 

Breaking  will  develop  in  a  sound  well-built  horse  all 
his  innate  qualities,  and  by  its  course  of  rational  gymnastics, 
will  partly  replace  absent  qualities.  It  will  make  him  clever, 
light,  and  well-balanced. 

A  horse  which  can  walk,  trot,  canter,  turn  easily,  rein  back 
and  move  from  one  side  to  the  other,  is  sufficiently  broken  for 
work  in  the  open  ;  but  he  should  first  be  made  quiet  to  mount, 
at  which  he  should  not  require  to  be  held.  He  should  have 
a  free  long-striding  walk.  The  trot  and  canter  should  be 
lengthened  and  shortened,  according  to  the  wish  of  the  rider  ; 
this  is  a  question  of  breaking. 

At  the  walk  a  horse  should  be  allowed  to  have  iiis  head 
free,  so  that  he  may  get  confidence  and  may  be  able  to 
lengthen  his  stride  at  his  ease,  and  his  neck  should  be 
nearly  horizontal.  Above  all  things,  he  should  not  be 
allowed  to  jog. 

*  My  answer  to  the  objection  that  many  thorough-breds  are  "  daisy  cutters,"  is 
that  such  animals  will  not  make  good  hacks  ;  but  this  fault  in  a  hack  is  a  good 
quality  in  a  race-horse.  Although  a  horse  which  gallops  high  will  be  turned  out 
of  a  training  stable,  he  will  be  gkully  bought  by  a  man  who  wants  a  nice  hack. 

12* 


i8o  ORDINARY   RIDING. 

At  an  ordinary  trot,  a  horse  should  be  let  as  free  as  possible. 
We  should  keep  him  well  in  hand,  with  his  head  and  neck 
high,  so  that  he  may  be  light  by  being  well-balanced. 

In  the  fast  trot,  the  head  and  neck  should  be  nearly  hori- 
zontal, so  as  to  allow  the  animal  to  reach  forward  as  far  as 
possible.  The  horse  ought  to  go  freely  up  to  the  bridle, 
and  the  rider  ought  to  keep  only  a  light  feeling  on  the 
snaffle. 

There  are  three  kinds  of  canter,*  namely,  the  well-collected 
canter,  the  hand  gallop,  and  the  fnll-speed  gallop. 

In  the  zvell-collected  canter  (strong  action  of  the  legs 
and  slight  action  of  the  hands :  taking  and  giving),  while 
gaining  but  little  ground,  he  should  carry  his  head  and  neck 
high. 

The  hand  gallop  is  a  shortened  gallop,  which  should  be 
well-collected,  if  the  rider  is  worthy  of  that  name  ;  but  in  it 
the  horse  is  almost  always  behind  his  bit  and  extended. 
If  we  go  to  the  Bois  any  morning,  we  shall  see  many  of 
these  unfortunate  thorough-breds,  which  are  worthy  of  a 
better  fate,  fully  extended,  with  their  hind  legs  dragging 
behind,  head  and  neck  low,  and  going  stiffly  in  a  mechanical 
style  of  gallop.  Such  horses  caricature  the  movements  of 
a  gallop,  while  having  a  man  on  their  back ;  but  this 
inelegant  combination  has  nothing  to  do  with  equitation. 
In  the  hand  gallop  we  should  give  some  liberty  to  the 
horse,  and  as  we  press  him  up  to  the  hand,  we  should  pro- 
portionately support  him.  Although  the  collection  is  not  full, 
our  legs  should  bring  his  hocks  well  under  the  body. 

In  the  full -speed  or  race-course  gallop,  the  horse  should 
lean  well  on  the  hands,  and  should  stretch  out  his  head  and 
neck.  Although  he  is  not  collected,  the  hocks  are  not  less 
energetically  brought  under  his  body  ;  for  speed  could  not 
be  obtained  without  their  action. 

'"^  In  French,  the  same  word  is  used  for  "  canter  "  and  "  gallop  " — Translator. 


THE    HACK.  i8i 

The  rider  ought  to  be  able  to  easil}-  make  his  horse  go 
from  one  of  these  paces  into  another. 

The  horse  ought  to  be  able  to  lead  equally  well  with 
either  fore  leg.  Ability  to  change  the  leg  is  of  great  use, 
when  riding  in  the  open,  so  as  to  be  able  to  readily  turn 
to  either  side.  It  is  not,  however,  indispensable  if  the  rider 
takes  care  to  stop  at  the  moment  of  turning,  and  to  start 
off  on  the  leg  of  the  side  to  which  the  turn  is  made. 

It  is  of  the  utmost  necessity  that  the  horse  readily  yields 
to  the  legs,  so  that  we  can  place  his  haunches  as  we  like 
at  all  joaces.  When  a  rider  passes  or  crosses  another  rider, 
he  should  be  able  to  direct  the  movements  of  the  hind 
quarters  with  his  legs  at  the  same  time  as  he  does  those 
of  the  fore  hand  with  his  hands,  so  that  he  may  guide  the 
horse  as  a  whole  and  not  in  parts.  If,  for  instance,  the 
hands  pull  the  forehand  to  the  right,  and  the  haunches  are 
allowed  to  swing  round  to  the  left,  the  horse  will  be  put 
crossways,  which  is  just  the  thing  he  ought  not  to  be  made 
to  do.  In  this  way  the  rider  may  get  thrown  off,  or  the 
man  who  passss  by  him  may  get  kicked. 

If  a  horse  obeys  the  legs  properly,  we  can  easily,  at  all 
three  paces,  approach  or  leave  one  or  more  riders.  When 
we  are  all  together,  obedience  to  both  legs  will  enable  us  to 
leave  the  others,  and,  keeping  the  horse  in  hand,  to  let  them 
pass  us,  if  such  is  our  wish. 

There  is  extreme  pleasure  in  riding  a  well-broken  Jiot 
horse.* 

Nothing  is  more  agreeable  than  to  work  a  horse  in  the 
open.  Flexions,  diagonal  effects,  two  tracks,  the  rassenibler, 
starting  into  the  canter  with  the  off  fore  and  near  fore 
leading,  and  other  fine  points  of  horsemanship,  keep  us  on 
the  alert,  and  make  the  time  pass  quickl)'  when  hacking. 

*  A  horse  that  stumbles,  shies,  pulls,  or  won't  go  on  unless  spurred,  soon 
disgusts  us  with  riding. 


i82  ORDINARY   RIDING. 

The  weather  is  always  good  for  riding,  except  when  there 
is  snow  and  frost.* 

In  cold  weather  there  is  extreme  pleasure  in  hearing  the 
quick  foot-falls  on  the  hard  ground,  of  a  horse  which  is 
excited  by  keen  air. 

If  it  is  raining  or  misty,  the  damp  ground  will  be  excellent 
for  the  horse,  who  will  bravely  plunge  his  feet  into  puddles 
and  mud,  and  will  joyously  splash  everything  in  his  road. 

When  it  blows  hard,  how  pleasant  it  is  to  feel  the  wind 
striking  our  face,  while  we  dash  along  at  full  speed  ! 

Behold  the  sun !  Let  us  go  to  the  woods  to  enjoy  the 
freshness  and  deadened  brilliancy  of  the  soft  light. 

The  walk  is  the  pace  for  reverie.  The  land  spreads  out 
its  panorama,  of  which  we  are  a  living,  moving  part,  because 
we  are  carried  away  by  the  country  in  the  cadence  of  a 
continual  movement  to  the  long  striding  walk  of  a  thorough- 
bred. What  pedestrian  will  believe  that  the  walk  of  a  horse 
can  inspire  his  rider  with  the  feeling  of  speed  ?  Nevertheless, 
that  is  the  pleasure  which  is  reserved  for  us. 

The  trot  and  hacking  canter  give  us  the  pleasure  of  travel- 
ling without  fatigue,  of  enjoying  a  harmonious  movement 
produced  by  a  reaction  as  free  as  it  is  elastic,  with  an  energy 
increased  a  hundredfold  by  the  generous  ardour  of  the  noble 
animal  which  is  at  our  disposal,  and  which  will  give  us  all 
that  is  in  it.  Where  does  man  end  ;  where  does  the  horse 
begin  ?  We  know  not.  The  two  make  the  most  intimate, 
supple,  living  and  vigorous  whole  which  forms  all  the  joy 
of  life  and  action. 

What  intoxication  of  happiness  to  rush  at  full  speed  into 
space  towards  the  unknown  !  If  fences  come  in  our  way, 
what  excitement  there  is  in  flying  over  them  !  What  quiet 
daring  fills  our  heart  ! 

*  When  the  ground  is  slippery,  we  should  take  our  feet  out  of  the  stirrups,  so 
that  one  of  our  legs  may  not  get  under  the  horse,  in  case  of  a  fall. 


THE    HACK.  183 

We  cannot  express  the  infinite  joy  there  is  in  the  full  speed 
of  a  thoroughbred.  It  is  Hke  the  rocking  of  a  wave,  but  it 
is  so  soft,  so  refined,  that  the  air  which  we  cleave  annuls  the 
feeling  of  weight.  It  is  a  mighty,  intoxicating  flight,  with- 
out effort  and  without  fatigue  ;  a  physical  joy  which  puts 
the  mind  to  sleep,  and  leaves  nothing  living  in  us,  except 
the  maddening  pleasure  of  flying  through  space. 

I  consider  that  the  thorough -bred  horse  makes  man  perfect. 


1 84 


CHAPTER    III. 
HORSES   WITH    VICES. 

Nervous    Horses  —  Horses   which    throw   their    heads    about  —  Horses   which 

run  away. 

NERVOUS   HORSES. 

It  is  usually  said  that  a  horse  which  is  nervous  will  jump 
to  one  side  or  spin  round,  when  the  sight  of  some  object  or 
some  noise  makes  him  stop. 

Any  horse  can  be  more  or  less  surprised,  according  to  its 
degree  of  impressionability.  Happily  all  horses  are  not 
timid. 

The  impressionability  of  a  horse  can  be  greatly  diminished 
and  modified  by  breaking.  Custom  establishes  mutual  confi- 
dence between  horse  and  rider.  If  the  animal  has  not  been 
beaten,  or  violently  forced  up  to  the  object  of  his  alarm,  and 
if  the  presence  of  his  rider  reassures  him,  instead  of  frighten- 
ing him,  he  will  soon  become  steady. 

It  is  a  sound  principle  never  to  flog  a  horse  which  is 
frightened  by  some  external  object.  We  should,  on  the 
contrary,  try  to  anticipate  or  remove  the  impression  by 
"  making  much  "  of  the  animal. 

I  have  already  said  that  a  horse  has  but  little  intelligence. 
He  cannot  reason,  and  has  only  memory.  If  he  is  beaten 
when  an  object  suddenly  comes  before  him  and  startles  him, 
he  will  connect  in  his  mind  the  object  and  the  punishment. 


NERVOUS    HORSES.  185 

If  he  again  sees  the  same  object,  he  will  expect  the  same 
punishment,  his  fear  will  become  increased,  and  he  will 
naturall}-  try  to  escape  all  the  more  violently. 

All  horses  are  not  equally  timid.  Some  are  more  impres- 
sionable on  one  side  than  on  the  other,  whether  accidentally 
or  naturally,  which  fact  gives  rise  to  the  saying  that  some 
horses  are  nervous  on  the  near  side,  and  others  on  the  off. 

We  may  note  that  wall-eyed  horses  are  always  nervous. 

It  is  often  wrongly  said  of  a  horse  that  he  is  nervous,  when 
he  is  only  fresh  or  green.  It  would  be  more  correct  to  say 
that  he  is  in  the  air,  that  he  wants  to  use  his  muscles  and 
extend  himself,  or,  in  other  words,  that  he  is  in  the  position 
of  a  child  who,  having  been  for  a  long  time  quiet,  begins  to 
play  and  frisk  about.  In  such  cases  punishment  and  caresses 
are  equally  useless.  What  we  ought  to  do  is  to  give  him 
what  he  wants,  namely,  plenty  of  exercise.  Send  him  along 
for  two  or  three  miles,  and  after  that  he  will  be  per- 
fectly quiet. 

There  are  certain  horses  which  are  restless  by  nature,  and 
are  constantly  on  the  alert  to  notice  anything  they  may  see  or 
hear.  They  are  afraid  of  all  sorts  of  imaginary  things,  they 
make  sudden  starts  at  every  moment,  and  are  consequently 
very  disagreeable  to  ride.  Give  them  lots  of  work  to  cool 
them  down  and  pats  on  the  neck  to  give  them  confidence. 

The  number  of  the  different  kinds  of  nervous  horses  is  so 
large,  that  it  is  impossible  to  enumerate  them  all.  There 
are,  however,  certain  ones  which  I  would  like  to  particularise. 
Some  are  afraid  of  everything  which  goes  past  their  head, 
or  everything  which  overlooks  them,  such  as  a  carriage, 
omnibus,  a  low  bridge,  or  carriage  entrance.  All  things  of 
that  kind  frighten  them.  People  sa}'  that  these  horses  are 
afraid  of  their  heads  being  hurt.  They  are,  however,  abso- 
lutel}-  indifferent  to  things  which  are  low. 

Other  horses  are  afraid  only  of  things  on  the  ground,  such 


i86  HORSES   WITH    VICES. 

as  shadows,  rays  of  the  sun,  puddles,  streams,  and  heaps 
of  stones.  They  pay  no  heed  to  things  which  are  above 
them. 

There  are  also  horses  which  are  afraid  only  of  things  which 
come  behind  them,  such  as  children,  dogs,  horses,  and 
carriages.  They  seem  afraid  only  of  things  which  they  do 
not  see. 

My  only  advice  about  the  management  of  nervous  horses 
is  to  give  them  confidence  by  "  making  much  of  them."  If 
we  see  in  front  of  us  an  object  which  we  know  our  horse  will 
be  afraid  of,  we  should  not  force  him  to  go  up  to  it.  Better 
let  him  at  first  go  away  from  it,  and  then  gently  induce  him 
to  approach  it,  without  bullying  him  too  much.  Work  him  in 
this  way  for  several  days,  as  long  as  may  be  necessary. 
Never  bring  him  so  close  up  to  the  object  in  question  that  he 
will  escape  or  spin  round  ;  because  in  this  case  we  will  be 
obliged  to  punish  him  ;  not  for  his  fear,  but  on  account  of  his 
spinning  round,  which  we  should  not  tolerate  at  any  time. 
In  punishing  him,  we  will  confuse  in  his  mind  the  fear  of 
punishment  and  the  fear  caused  by  the  object.  In  a  word, 
with  nervous  horses  we  should  use  much  gentleness,  great 
patience,  and  no  violence. 

It  now  remains  only  to  speak  of  horses  which  are  wrongly 
classed  as  nervous,  which  have  all  the  appearance  of  fear,  but 
which  are  only  vicious. 

All  horses  are  very  fond  of  their  stable,  and  are  more  lively 
and  impetuous  when  they  are  returning  to  it  than  when 
leaving  it.  Those  of  whom  I  speak  seem  to  have  only  the 
idea  of  returning  to  their  stable,  and  of  seeking  every  occa- 
sion of  making  a  move  to  the  rear,  in  the  form  of  a  spin 
round.  We  see  them  stop  at  the  most  trifling  object  which 
they  meet,  and  then  they  wheel  round  sharply  if  the  rider 
shows  the  slightest  hesitation.  These  horses,  I  repeat,  are 
not  afraid  ;  they  are  vicious,  and   nothing  I  have  said  about 


NERVOUS    HORSES.  187 

nervous  horses  applies  to  them.  They  have  to  be  promptly- 
brought  back,  and  severely  punished. 

The  proof  that  they  are  actuated  only  by  vice  is  that, 
when  returning  to  their  stable,  they  will  treat  with  absolute 
indifference  the  objects  which  caused  them  to  spin  round, 
when  going  out. 

If  under  these  or  any  other  conditions  the  horse  shies,  we 
ought  to  steady  him  and  bring  him  back  by  lateral  effects. 
If  he  shies  to  the  right,  the  right  snaffle  rein  ought  to  be 
strongly  carried  to  the  left,  and  the  right  leg  should  be 
vigorously  applied.  In  other  words,  to  correct  a  shy  to  the 
right,  we  should  apply  two  effects  from  right  to  left.  By  using 
the  left  rein — which  people  usually  have  the  bad  habit  of  doing 
— the  rider  will  help  the  horse  to  throw  to  the  right  his 
haunches,  which  his  right  leg  will  not  be  able  to  keep  straight. 
Further,  if  there  is  danger  to  the  right,  the  horse  may  throw 
himself  unwittingly  into  it,  because,  having  his  head  turned 
to  the  left,  he  will  not  be  able  to  see  where  it  is.  But  the 
right  rein,  when  applied  strongly  to  the  neck,  presses  him  to 
the  left,  and  aids  the  effect  produced  by  the  right  leg,  which 
prevents  the  haunches  from  being  carried  to  the  right. 

If  the  horse  shies  to  the  right,  the  rider  is  shifted  to  the 
left.  In  such  cases  he  keeps  his  seat  in  the  saddle  by  the 
strong  pressure  of  the  right  leg,  from  which  he  obtains 
safety. 

Horses  which  spin  round,  almost  always  do  so  to  one 
particular  side.  If  we  have  a  mount  which  uses  this  mode  of 
defence,  we  should  begin  by  finding  out  the  side  he  turns  to, 
and  by  holding  on  that  side  a  stick  about  eighteen  inches 
long.  I  do  not  like  a  whip  for  this  purpose,  for  it  is  too 
flexible  ;  and  if,  for  instance,  we  use  it  on  the  left,  its  end  may 
bend  and  strike  the  right  side,  or,  what  is  worse,  may  injure 
the  animal's  eyes. 

Immediately  the  horse  turns  his  head  to  spin  round,  but 


■i88  HORSES   WITH    VICES. 

before  he  can  do  so,  strike  him  sharply  with  the  stick  on  that 
side  of  the  nose.  I  have  never  met  a  horse  which  has  not 
been  quickly  made  obedient  by  this  method  of  correction 
when  it  has  been  applied  with  severity  and  precision.  After 
a  few  times  the  mere  sight  of  the  stick  will  be  enough.* 

I  like  to  work  alone  without  any  help,  not  even  that  of  a 
groom.  Those  who  do  not  believe  this  can  easily  verify  my 
statement.  I  have  kept  my  horses  at  livery  in  several  schools 
and  I  have  always  broken  them  in  these  places.  I  have  never 
asked  the  help  of  any  one  at  the  maneges  of  Latry,  Vincent, 
'Quartero,  or  I'Etoile. 

HORSES   WHICH    THROW   THEIR   HEADS   ABOUT. 

There  are  very  few  horsemen  who  have  not  had  the  trouble 
and  even  the  danger  of  riding  animals  which  threw  their  heads 
about.     Some  forcibly  lower  the  head,  and  thus,  so  to  speak, 

*  The  most  disagreeable  animal  I  ever  met  was  a  stallion  which  was  very- 
restive  and  a  fiend  to  bite. 

As  it  is  impossible  to  break  a  horse  without  the  help  of  the  legs  and  spurs,  it 
was  necessary  to  find  a  means  to  make  this  horse  bear  their  touch.  The  first 
six  weeks  passed  off  fairly  well,  because  I  did  not  ask  him  to  do  much,  but  as 
soon  as  I  tried  to  get  him  in  hand  by  means  of  the  spurs,  he  tried  to  bite  my 
legs,  threw  himself  violently  on  his  knees,  and  in  this  position  made  desperate 
efforts  to  catch  hold  of  my  feet  ;  and  he  had  the  best  of  the  struggle,  because  I 
was  not  able  to  use  the  spurs,  on  account  of  having  to  draw  back  my  feet  out  of 
the  way  of  his  teeth. 

I  then  put  on  the  snaffle  reins  two  iron  rods,  fifteen  or  sixteen  inches  long. 
Having  thus  put  the  animal  in  such  position  that  he  could  not  turn  his  head 
round,  and  as  my  legs  were  then  safe  from  his  teeth,  I  felt  sure  of  victory.  But 
this  demon  of  a  horse,  being  rendered  furious  by  his  feeling  of  powerlessness, 
continued  to  throw  himself  on  his  knees,  and  being  unable  to  bite  my  feet,  bit 
his  own  breast,  which  I  thought  he  would  stop  doing  on  account  of  the  pain. 
■So  far  from  that,  he  tore  away  strips  of  flesh  from  his  breast,  and  I  have  no 
■doubt  that  if  he  had  unseated  me,  he  would  have  devoured  me.  I  then  put  on 
him  a  very  thick  leather  apron,  which  was  in  shreds  in  three  days. 

I  succeeded,  however,  in  mastering  him  by  placing  under  his  chin  a  kind  of 
half  funnel  made  out  of  white  metal.  Being  unable  to  bite,  he  soon  dropped 
that  detestable  habit,  and  I  completed  his  education  at  No.  78  Avenue  Malakoff, 
in  a  place  kept  by  the  son  of  Mr.  Gost,  who  w^as  a  horse  dealer,  and  who  more 
■than  once  was  present  at  these  equine  battles,  which  I  fought  singly  as  a  rule. 


HORSES   WHICH    RUN    AWAY.  189 

take  a  spring  to  raise  it  with  greater  violence.  Others  content 
themselves  with  throwing  the  head  sharply  back,  without 
lowering  it  in  the  first  instance.  In  the  former  case  we  should 
catch  the  horse  with  the  snaffle  reins  (which  are  held  in  the 
right  hand)  at  the  e.xact  moment  when  he  begins  to  lower  it. 
On  account  of  the  shock  he  will  quickly  raise  his  head,  at 
which  instant  we  should  drive  him  forward  by  a  strong 
pressure  of  the  legs.  The  curb  reins  are  loose,  but  are  firmlj'^ 
held  in  the  left  hand  in  such  a  way  that  the  moment  when; 
the  horse,  by  raising  his  head,  tightens  the  curb  reins,  he  will 
receive  a  severe  blow  on  the  bars  of  the  mouth.  Therefore  he- 
has  been  stopped  by  the  snaffle  when  he  wished  to  lower  his 
head  in  order  to  get  his  impulse,  and  has  been  punished  hy 
the  curb  when,  in  throwing  up  his  head,  he  brought  it  too- 
far  back.  When  he  thus  throws  back  his  head  without  ob- 
taining an  impulse,  we  should  drive  him  forward  with  a  pres- 
sure of  the  legs  the  moment  he  raises  his  head,  and  should 
receive  him  on  the  curb,  under  the  same  conditions  as  those 
first  mentioned. 

To  sum  up,  we  make  in  the  first  case  three  movements  of 
the  snaffle,  legs  and  curb.  In  the  second,  we  use  only  the 
legs  and  the  curb.  Although  these  movements  are  successive, 
they  follow  each  other  so  closely  that  they  almost  unite  into 
a  single  one.  In  both  cases,  if  the  action  of  the  legs  does  not 
precede  by  ever  so  little  that  of  the  curb,  we  shall  run  the 
risk  of  making  the  horse  rear,  or  at  least  by  crushing  the  hind 
quarters  we  make  him  get  behind  his  bit. 

HORSES   WHICH    RUN   AWAY. 

I  have  always  been  fairly  lucky,  both  as  regards  my  pupils 
and  myself,  in  avoiding  accidents  from  run-aways.  My  good 
luck  was  not  altogether  a  matter  of  chance. 

When  a  horse  is  running  away,  he  will  not  listen  to  reason, 
and  I  do  not  think  any  one  rider  would  be  able  to  stop  him 


I90  HORSES   WITH    VICES. 

much  better  than  another ;  but  we  can  do  a  good  deal  to  stop 
him  from  running  away.  Here  the  real  knack  consists  in 
prevention,  and  therefore  the  watchful  horseman  will  never 
let  his  animal  get  out  of  hand.  Immediately  he  feels  that 
the  horse  is  ready  to  break  away,  he  will  steady  him  and 
calm  him  down  by  the  voice  and  pats  on  the  neck. 

A  horse  often  runs  away  because  the  bars  of  his  mouth 
have  become  insensible  on  account  of  the  rider  pulling  at  him, 
which  in  this  case  is  like  pulling  at  a  wall,  and  consequently 
the  horse  can  bolt  when  he  likes. 

To  keep  the  mouth  fresh,  the  rider  ought  to  use  the  snaffle 
and  curb  alternately ;  that  is  to  say,  he  should  not  let  the 
animal  take  a  bearing  on  either  reins. 

Some  horses  run  away  with  their  heads  high,  others  bring 
the  chin  into  the  breast.  We  should  always  try  to  lower  the 
heads  of  the  former  with  the  curb,  and  to  raise  those  of  the 
latter  with  the  snaffle. 

If  the  horse  succeeds  in  bringing  the  head  so  low  down 
and  in  rounding  the  neck  so  much  that  the  cheeks  of  the 
curb  are  in  contact  with  the  breast,  the  more  the  rider 
pulls  at  the  curb  reins,  the  less  will  the  bit  act  on  the  mouth,* 
and  the  more  will  he  maintain  the  wrong  position  of  his 
head  and  neck.  The  only  thing  he  has  to  do  in  this  case 
is  to  saw  the  snaffle. 

With  horses  which  get  the  chin  into  the  chest  it  is  well  to 
use  a  gag  snaffle,  which  acts  upwards  instead  of  backwards. 
It  is  also  useful  with  a  horse  that  has  a  heavy  head  and 
neck,  which  such  an  animal  always  tries  to  make  his  rider 
carry.  Of  course  I  offer  this  advice  only  to  those  who  do  not 
know  how  to  balance  their  horses. 

A  horse  is  often  said  to  run  away  when  in  reality  he  is  only 
carrying  away  his  rider. 

*  By  pulling  on  the  cheeks  of  the  curb,  we  fix  them  against  the  breast  and  cause 
the  mouthpiece  to  shift  upwards  in  the  mouth,  which  action  relieves  the  bars. 


HORSES    WHICH    RUN    AWAY.  191 

A  horse  that  runs  away  is  a  maddened  horse  which  does 
not  answer  to  the  aids,  and  which  cannot  be  guided. 

A  horse  that  carries  away  his  rider  is  an  old  rascal  who 
gets  excited  by  a  gallop,  and  who  bolts  whenever  he  gets  out 
of  hand.  Although  we  cannot  stop  him,  we  can  guide  him. 
He  takes  care  to  avoid  obstacles  that  are  in  his  path  ;  but  the 
run-away  gallops  with  his  head  dow^i,  his  eyes  are  injected 
with  blood,  and  he  will  dash  himself  to  pieces  against  anything 
he  meets. 

A  horse  can  carry  his  man  away  at  all  paces.  I  have  seen 
an  animal  do  it  even  at  a  walk.  Such  horses  pull  without 
ceasing,  they  make  a  half  rear  when  the  rider  tries  to  stop 
them,  and  when  they  have  completely  tired  him  out,  they 
carry  him  off.  We  should  therefore  take  care  never  to  allow 
them  to  get  out  of  hand.  If  they  succeed  in  catching  the 
rider  unawares  and  carrying  him  off,  he  should  simply  guide 
them  into  some  open  space. 

The  first  thing  which  the  rider  should  do,  is  to  separate  his 
reins.  By  sawing  the  snaffle,  by  the  alternative  effects  of  the 
snaffle  and  curb,  and  by  loosening  the  jaw,  he  can  succeed 
little  by  little  in  changing  the  pace,  putting  the  horse  on  his 
hind  quarters,  and  consequently  mastering  him. 

Above  all  things  we  should  take  care  to  manipulate  the 
reins  in  a  uniform  manner.  Giving  and  taking  is  the  invari- 
able principle,  and  the  legs  ought  always  to  remain  close  to  the 
sides  of  the  animal.  On  these  occasions  the  majority  of  riders 
think  that  they  gain  strength  by  making  a  "  triangle "  with 
their  legs  stuck  out  in  front,  in  which  case  the  horse  will 
always  be  stronger  than  the  man. 

Many  horses  which  have  been  raced,  try  to  go  off  *  with 
their  rider,  cither  at  the  trot  or  canter.      To  accomplish   this 

*  Many  old  race  horses  try  to  carry  off  their  rider  when  he  turns  them  round, 
because  on  race  courses,  horses  start  on  being  turned  round.  We  should  be  on  the 
look  out  with  such  animals. 


192  HORSES   WITH    VICES. 

they  stretch  out  the  neck  and  forcibly  lower  the  head.  If  the 
rider  pulls  sharply  at  the  reins,  the  horse  will  probably  drag- 
him  out  of  the  saddle  on  to  his  neck  by  throwing  his  head 
down.  We  should  "  give  "  to  the  horse  by  bringing  the  hands 
forward  without  letting  the  reins  slip  through  the  fingers,  then 
rather  vigorously  raise  the  neck,  take  up  the  snaffle  and  curb, 
and  use  the  legs  as  soon  as  the  neck  has  been  straightened. 

When  a  horse  is  really  running  away,  the  reins  should  be 
used  in  the  same  manner  as  when  he  is  carrying  off  his  rider, 
but  the  difficulty  is  much  greater,  because  it  is  almost  im- 
possible to  guide  him.  If  we  have  a  plain  in  front  of  us  we 
may  succeed,  even  in  this  case,  in  turning  the  horse  to 
the  right  or  to  the  left.  To  do  this,  supposing  the  reins  are 
separated,  as  they  ought  to  be,  we  should  let  go  one  of  the 
reins,  take  hold  of  the  other  with  both  hands,  pull  with  all  the 
weight  of  the  body,  so  as  to  produce  a  more  or  less  decided 
lateral  flexion,  which  will  certainly  turn  the  horse  out  of  his 
course. 

If  the  rider  of  a  run-away  horse  finds  himself  alongside  a 
stream,  he  ought  to  force  the  animal  into  it.  There  is  danger 
in  everything  on  land,  whether  we  meet  a  fence  or  get  a  fall  on 
level  ground  ;  but  in  water  there  is  no  danger,  and  a  bath 
makes  us  quits.  The  only  thing  to  avoid  is  a  perpendicular 
bank.  The  majority  of  horses  will  stop  as  soon  as  the  water 
comes  up  to  their  breast,  and  they  will  become  perfectly  quiet. 
Others  strike  the  water  with  their  fore  feet,  give  themselves  up 
to  disordered  movements,  but  always  finish  by  becoming  quiet 
in  a  short  time. 

In  order  to  correct  run-aways,  I  have  often  let  them  gallop 
as  fast  as  they  could  along  the  low  banks  of  a  river,  and  when 
they  were  in  full  swing  I  sent  them  into  the  water,  which  I  was 
able  to  do  very  easily. 

Any  horse  which  has  been  properly  rassembL'^d  can  neither 
run  away  nor  carry  his  rider  away,    because  the  use    of  the 


HORSES   WHICH    RUN    AWAY.  195 

spurs,  by  bringing  the  hocks  under  the  body,  raises  and 
lightens  the  forehand,  and  consequently  the  animal  can  be 
easily  stopped. 

While  riding  with  my  pupils  I  have  often  asked  them  what 
would  they  do  if  a  run-away  horse  came  up  to  them  either 
from  the  front  or  the  rear  ?  I  have  also  often  asked  persons 
who  have  ridden  horses  all  their  lives  the  same  question,  but  I 
have  rarely  received  a  satisfactory  answer,  although  this  con- 
tingency ought  always  to  be  provided  against.  We  should  bear 
in  mind  that  a  man  on  a  run-away  horse  generally  runs  less 
danger  than  the  riders  who  are  in  his  road.  We  often  see  a 
run-away  animal  dash  into  a  group  of  horses  with  his  head 
down.  To  avoid  him  we  must  get  behind  the  first  obstacle. 
If  we  are  in  a  forest  we  should  get  into  some  bushes,  and 
will  then  escape  with  a  few  scratches.  If  we  are  on  a  road  we 
should  get  behind  a  tree  ;  if  in  a  street,  behind  a  lamp  post. 
In  fact,  anything  will  serve  to  shield  us  from  the  terrible 
shock.  Above  all  things  we  should  move  as  quickly  as 
we  can. 

If  in  place  of  getting  out  of  the  way,  we  wish  to  help  a  man 
on  a  run-away  horse,  which  is  a  praiseworthy  but  very  difficult 
attempt,  we  should  gallop  at  full  speed  in  the  direction  he  is 
going,  while  keeping  a  few  yards  in  front  of  him.  We  ought 
to  speak  in  a  loud  tone  of  voice  and  try  to  give  the  rider  con- 
fidence. We  should  then  slightly  slacken  speed,  and  as  the 
run-away  passes  alongside  of  us,  we  should  try  to  catch  hold 
of  his  curb  reins  as  near  as  possible  to  the  mouth,  and  en- 
deavour to  stop  him  little  by  little. 

If  we  do  not  gallop  in  front  of  the  run-away  nearly  as  fast 
as  he  is  going,  the  jerk  we  will  receive  at  the  moment  we  catch 
the  reins  may  throw  us  out  of  the  saddle.  As  we  ought  to 
have  one  hand  free,  we  should  hold  our  reins  in  the  other 
hand,  so  as  to  be  able  to  control  and  guide  our  mount. 

I  may  add  that  it  is  almost  impossible  to  stop  a  run-away 

13 


194  HORSES  WITH    VICES. 

while  going  on  a  straight  line.  I  have  never  succeeded  in  this. 
If  the  amount  of  open  space  and  the  nature  of  the  ground 
allows  us  to  do  so,  we  should  at  first  take  a  very  large  circle, 
and  should  decrease  it  little  by  little.  We  should  of 
course  place  ourselves  on  the  inside  of  the  circle,  so  as  to  be 
able  to  pull  the  run-away  in  the  direction  we  are  taking. 
If  we  are  on  the  outside  we  will  not  be  able  to  make  him 
turn.  It  is  evident  that  we  cannot  employ  this  means  of 
stopping  a  run-away  unless  we  are  sure  of  our  horse  and 
ourselves. 

I  was  lucky  to  stop  two  mad  run-aways  in  the  manner  I 
have  just  described.  The  first  one  was  at  Havre,  and  his  rider 
had  let  go  the  reins  and  had  caught  hold  of  the  pommel  of  the 
saddle  with  both  hands.  The  second  was  in  the  Bois  at  Paris, 
and  was  ridden  by  a  young  girl.  In  both  cases,  it  took  me 
from  fifteen  to  twenty  minutes  to  stop  the  horses.  As  I  was 
on  thoroughbreds,  I  had  strength  and  speed  at  my  disposal. 
With  respect  to  the  lady,  I  took  the  precaution  to  place 
myself  on  her  off  side,  for  her  legs  would  have  been  in  the 
way  on  the  other  side. 


195 


CHAPTER    IV. 

JUMPLVG. 

It  is  generally  said  that  to  make  a  horse  jump,  the  hands 
should  be  raised  the  moment  he  comes  to  the  fence  ;  but  in 
acting  thus  his  natural  powers  are  hampered  and  he  is 
prevented  from  jumping  freely. 

In  order  to  jump,  he  should  have  his  head  and  neck 
perfectly  free,  because  if  they  are  raised  by  the  hands  their 
freedom  and  spring  will  be  spoiled,  and  the  weight  will  be 
thrown  on  the  hind  quarters.  Consequently,  if  he  has  a  light 
mouth  he  will  pull  up  in  front  of  the  fence,  and  if  he  has  a 
hard  mouth  he  will  get  the  better  of  his  rider,  in  which  case 
he  can  only  make  a  half-rear,  and  consequently  his  fore  legs 
will  clear  the  obstacle  and  his  hind  legs  will  catch  in  it. 
Hence,  while  driving  him  forward  with  the  legs,  we  pull  him 
back  with  the  reins.  The  forehand  can  get  the  better  of  the 
curb,  but  only  by  an  effort  which  will  considerably  tire  the 
horse. 

There  is  a  general  theory  for  making  horses  jump,  but  we 
can  quickly  see  that,  in  practice,  each  horse  has  his  own 
particular  way  of  leaping.  In  my  opinion,  the  best  way  to 
teach  a  horse  to  jump  is  at  first  to  place  a  log  of  wood  on  the 
ground,  and  lead  him  over  it  at  the  walk.  When  he  .obeys, 
he  should  be  patted  on  the  neck  and  have  some  carrots,  so  as 
to  gain  his  confidence.      This  will  be  an  affair  of  only  two  or 

13* 


196  JUMPING. 

three  lessons  of  about  ten  minutes'  duration.  When  he  has 
full  confidence,  we  may  lunge  him  over  the  log,  while 
gradually  getting  further  and  further  away  from  him.  As 
soon  as  he  will  walk  over  the  bar,  while  the  breaker  stands  in 
the  middle  of  the  school,  the  bar  can  be  raised  from  12  to  16 
inches,  and  the  horse  left  to  jump  it  in  his  own  way.  The 
chief  thing  is  that  he  clears  it.  This  plan  of  accustoming  a 
horse  to  a  fence,  has  been  practised  in  circuses  from  time 
immemorial. 

A  horse  which  likes  jumping  will  generally  rush,  and 
should  be  calmed  down,  so  that  he  may  take  the  leap  quietly. 
If,  on  the  contrary,  he  stops  or  hesitates,  he  should  be 
encouraged  by  the  voice  and  should  be  shown  the  driving 
whip,  but  should  not  be  struck  with  it,  or  frightened  at 
starting.  We  should,  however,  make  him  go  over  the  bar, 
and  should  carefully  note  how  he  jumps.  The  best  fencers 
jump  straight,  freely,  and  without  pausing.  Some  leap 
"  stickily,"  and  others  jump  sideways.  Horses  which  jump 
freely  and  of  their  own  accord  need  only  be  taught  to 
clear  the  fence,  successively,  at  the  walk,  trot  and  canter. 

Horses  which  make  a  half  halt  when  coming  up  to  the 
obstacle,  should  be  stimulated  by  the  driving  whip  until  they 
have  lost  the  habit  of  stopping.  Consequently,  we  should  not 
let  them  jump  at  the  walk  and  trot,  until  they  will  freely  do 
so,  at  the  canter. 

Things  are  not  much  more  complicated  with  horses  that 
jump  sideways,  and  we  have  only  to  oppose  their  shoulders  to 
their  haunches.  If,  for  instance,  we  are  on  the  left  hand,  and 
the  horse  throws  his  hind  quarters  to  the  left,  and  con- 
sequently to  the  inside,  we  should  pull  the  lunging  rein,  in 
order  to  bring  his  shoulders  to  the  left,  and  at  the  same  time 
we  should  touch  the  left  haunch  with  the  lash  of  the  whip,  to 
send  the  hind  quarters  to  the  right.  If,  on  the  contrary,  the 
horse  brings  his  haunches  to  the  right,  that  is  to  say,  to  the 


JUMPING.  197 

outside,  we  should  let  out  the  lunging  rein,  and  at  the  moment 
the  animal  is  taking  off,  we  should  make  him  carry  his 
shoulders  to  the  right,  by  threatening  him  with  the  whip  under 
the  muzzle. 

The  bar  should  be  kept  very  low  for  this  work,  and  should 
be  raised  only  little  by  little,  according  to  the  strength  and 
cleverness  of  the  horse. 

We  should  take  great  care  never  to  raise  the  bar  so  high 
as  to  require  the  animal  to  make  a  great  effort  to  clear  it, 
especially  if  he  is  young.  Although  this  would  not  be  so  bad 
with  old  horses,  we  should  do  all  we  can  not  to  discourage 
them. 

As  soon  as  the  horse  jumps  freely  with  the  lunge,  he  can  be 
mounted,  and  made  to  follow  the  same  programme,  while 
beginning  with  the  bar  on  the  ground. 

At  first,  we  should  not  trouble  about  the  animal's  style  of 
jumping,  but  should  let  him  fence  in  his  own  way,  and  should 
study  it. 

In  leaping,  as  in  every  other  exercise  which  demands  great 
energy  on  the  part  of  the  horse,  the  rider  should  take  account 
of  the  natural  capabilities  of  his  mount,  and  should  adapt 
himself  to  them.  If  they  require  to  be  set  right,  he  should 
gradually  do  it  later  on. 

I  have  said  that  the  hands  should  make  no  effort  to  raise 
the  horse  when  taking  off.  I  repeat  that  the  head  and  neck 
should  be  perfectly  free,  but  I  do  not  say  that  the  reins  should 
be  let  go ;  because  the  horse,  when  he  is  jumping,  ought  to 
maintain  on  the  hands  a  light  bearing,*  which  he  does  not  take 
at  the  moment  of  raising  himself,  because  he  has  had  it  when 
coming  up  to  the  fence  ;  in  fact,  he  merely  preserves  it.  The 
elasticity  of  the  hands  and  even  of  the  arms  of  the  rider 
allows    him    to    keep    up   this   bearing   on    the   bit,    without 

*  It  is  an  absolute  rule  in  riding  that  the  hands  ought  always  to  remain  in  com- 
munication with  the  mouth. 


198  JUMPING. 

increasing  it.  It  is  better  for  him  to  diminish  it  a  little,  when 
the  horse  extends  his  head  and  neck  to  jump.  In  other  words,, 
the  horse,  not  the  rider,  takes  this  bearing. 

Some  horses  jump  best  if  they  have  a  good  hold  of  the  bit, 
when  coming  up  to  the  fence,  especially  if  they  are  going  fast. 
Others  require  to  be  ridden  with  a  slack  rein,  so  that  they  may 
take  the  necessary  spring.  Nevertheless,  in  order  to  be  certain 
that  a  horse  will  jump,  we  should  firmly  close  our  legs  and  feel 
his  mouth,  for  otherwise  he  can  very  easily  refuse.  It  is  of 
course  understood  that  the  reins  should  be  slackened  a  little, 
the  moment  he  is  taldng  off  If  the  reins  are  slackened  too 
much,  he  will  often  jump  stickily  or  refuse,  and  if  we  slacken 
the  reins  too  late,  we  will  prevent  him  jumping,  or  will  hamper 
his  movements. 

The  hands,  therefore,  ought  to  do  three  things: — i.  Support 
the  horse  up  to  the  moment  he  takes  off.  2.  Give  him  his 
head  during  the  time  he  is  clearing  the  obstacle.  3.  Feel  the 
snaffle,*  so  that  we  may  lightly  get  him  into  hand  the 
moment  he  lands. 

The  legs  of  the  rider  ought  to  support  the  horse  during  the 
whole  time — namely  :  i.  Before  leaping,  so  as  to  press  him 
up  and  make  him  jump.  2.  During  the  leap,  in  order  to- 
make  him  get  his  hind  legs  under  him,  so  that  he  may  not 
hit  the  fence.  3.  x'\fter  the  leap,  in  order  to  support  the  hind 
legs  when  they  come  down  and  relieve  the  fore  legs.  Finally, 
when  the  legs  are  thus  supported  they  will  keep  the  rider  in  a 
good  position. 

The  pluck  and  confidence  of  the  rider  plays  a  large  part 
in  jumping.  If  he  comes  up  to  the  fence  without  having 
decided  to  clear  it,  the  chances  are  that  he  will  remain  on 
this  side  of  it. 

It  is  said  that  the  horse  understands   the  feelings  of  the 

*  I  use  only  the  snaffle  when  jumping,  and  I  employ  this  curb  only  tO' 
regulate  the  speed  between  the  fences. 


JUMPING. 


199 


rider.  This  is  not  quite  true,  because  it  is  evident  that  the 
animal  cannot  know  what  is  in  the  mind  of  the  man  on  his 
back ;  but  he  can  feel  that  the  "  aids,"  like  the  will  of  the 
rider,  are  hesitating. 

To  make  the  horse  resolute  we  should,  in  the  first  instance, 
be  resolute  ourselves.  If  our  pluck  gives  way,  our  "  aids  "  will 
be  vacillating ;  but  if  we  harden  our  heart,  we  will  transmit 


Fig.  46. — Clearing  a  fence. 

confidence  to  the  horse  by  means  of  the  "  aids,"  which,  in 
this  case,  should  act  with  vigour  and  precision. 

The  rider  who  goes  up  to  a  fence  for  the  first  time,  usually 
imagines  that  he  will  receive  a  terrible  shock.  As  a  rule,  he 
instinctively  stiffens  himself  so  as  not  to  be  displaced,  and 
when  he  falls  off,  the  accident  is  generally  due  to  this 
stiffness. 

As  I  have  already  said,  we  should  give  with  the  hands  at 


200 


JUMPING. 


the  exact  moment  when  the  horse  raises  himself,  and  should 
preserve  his  suppleness  by  a  stronger  pressure  of  the  legs. 
In  this  way  the  shock  and  displacement  of  the  seat  are  only 
trifling. 

I  have  said  that  all  horses  do  not  jump  in  the  same  way. 
With  those  which  raise  themselves  well  with  all  four  feet,  and 


Fig.  47. — Horse  raising  his  forehand  a  good  deal  when  jumping. 

clear  the  fence  while  keeping  the  body  nearly  horizontal,  the 
rider  has  only  to  keep  his  body  in  a  perpendicular  position 
(Fig.  46). 

If  the  horse,  when  jumping,  raises  his  forehand  a  great 
deal,  as  in  a  half-rear  (Fig.  47),  the  rider  ought  to  pro- 
portionately lean  forward  at  the  moment  when  the  horse 
raises  himself;  but  as  the  horse  comes  down,  he  should  bring 
his  body  back,  for  three  reasons  :    First,  not  to   be    thrown 


JUMPING. 


201 


forward  by  the  propulsion  given  by  the  horse ;  second,  to 
hghten  the  forehand,  which,  on  coming  to  the  ground,  will 
have  to  bear  all  the  weight  of  both  horse  and  rider  ;  and, 
third,  to  keep  his  seat  and  support  his  horse  in  case  the 
animal's  forelegs  give  way. 

When  a  horse  brushes  a  fence  with  his  forelegs,  and  raises 


Fig.  48. — Horse  raising  his  croup  when  clearing  a  fence. 

his  croup  as  if  he  were  kicking,*  we  should  carry  the  body 
back  the  moment'the  forehand  is  raised  as  high  as  the  fence, 
so  as  to  avoid  putting  weight  on  the  forehand.  When  the 
fence  has  been  cleared,  the  body  will  be  put  back  in  its  place 
by  the  force  of  propulsion. 

I  cannot  too  strongly  impress  on  my  readers  that  in  all  the 

*  See  Fig.  48  : — If  the  reins  were  drawn  tighter,  this  illustration  would  serve 
equally  well  to  show  the  position  of  a  rider  who  is  about  to  receive  his  horse 
after  a  jump. 


202  JUMPING. 

backward  movements  of  the  body  during  the  leap,  the  arms, 
should  preserve  the  greatest  possible  elasticity,  so  that  the 
tension  of  the  reins  may  be  in  no  way  increased,  and  that  the 
horse  may  jump  freely.  If  the  reins  are  too  short,  we  should 
let  them  slip  through  the  fingers,  and  should  take  them  up 
again  as  soon  as  the  animal  lands. 

I  am  naturally  led  to  say  a  word  about  steeplechases  and 
hurdle  races.  The  ignorance  on  the  part  of  jockeys  about 
the  paces  of  horses  is  inconceivable.  Very  few  of  them  can 
tell  with  which  leg  a  horse  is  leading  in  the  gallop.  Baron 
Finot,  who  is  a  master,  astonished  me  one  day  by  saying : 
"  Jockeys  ride  by  instinct,  and  do  not  take  the  trouble  to 
think." 

In  hurdle  racing  a  horse  clears  the  hurdles,  thanks  to  his 
enormous  momentum,  and  the  harder  he  pulls  the  better 
pleased  is  his  jockey.  In  France,  steeplechases  are  ridden  at 
the  same  speed  as  hurdle  races,  which  at  first  sight  appears 
dangerous.  I  have  spoken  to  many  jockeys  on  this  subject, 
and  they  have  all  told  me  that  the  faster  the  speed  the  less 
danger  there  is  for  them.  This  seems  a  paradox,  but  it  is 
really  true.  Their  reason  is  that  if  a  horse  which  is  going  at 
a  moderate  speed  strikes  a  fence  and  comes  down,  the  horse 
will  nearly  always  fall  on  the  jockey,  in  which  case  the  result 
will  be  very  serious,  if  not  actually  fatal.  But  if  a  similar  fall 
occurs  when  the  horse  is  at  full  speed,  the  jockey  is  thrown  a 
few  yards  to  the  front,  and  generally  escapes  being  hurt.  In 
such  a  case  the  jockey  rolls  like  a  ball,  huddles  himself  up, 
takes  care  not  to  stretch  out  an  arm  or  leg,  and  thus  nearly 
always  gets  off  with  only  a  few  bruises. 

In  England,  a  steeplechase  jockey  slackens  his  pace  when  he 
gets  near  a  fence,  and  thus  husbands  the  horse's  strength,  and 
allows  him  to  more  accurately  measure  his  distance.  Horse 
and  man  thus  act  in  harmony. 

The  French  system   is  more  break-neck,  and  requires  less. 


JUMPING.  203 

knowledge,  but  it  can  help  to  win  a  race.  The  English  system 
is  a  matter  of  good  horsemanship,  but  we  must  admit  that  the 
French  system  has  more  chances  of  success  if  the  horse  does 
not  fall. 

In  my  opinion,  the  jockeys  Hatchet  and  H.  Andrews  are 
brilliant  exceptions  respecting  the  way  steeplechases  are 
generally  ridden.  Hatchet  has  a  very  remarkable  method 
of  riding  over  fences,  and  I  always  follow  him  with  great 
pleasure,  because  his  style  bears  out  the  theory  which  I  am 
never  tired  of  maintaining — namely,  that  there  is  only  one 
way  of  riding.  There  is  only  one  kind  which  is  always  good 
on  the  racecourse  as  well  as  for  hacking,  and  without  it  success 
is  either  pure  luck  or  mere  knack. 

To  see  Hatchet  ride  a  steeplechase  is  a  great  treat  for  a 
connoisseur.  He  remains  glued  to  the  saddle,  and  daylight  is 
never  seen  between  him  and  it.  On  coming  up  to  a  fence  he 
does  not  lean  back,  for  he  knows  that  the  impetus  of  the  hind 
quarters  would  throw  him  forward.  He  gets  well  down  into 
the  saddle  and  rounds  his  back  so  as  to  keep  his  seat  and 
suppleness.  He  holds  his  hands  low,  his  arms  half-extended, 
and  the  reins  just  sufficiently  felt  to  keep  him  in  constant 
communication  with  the  mouth  of  the  horse.  He  evidently 
yields  his  fingers  at  the  same  time  as  he  does  his  arms, 
because  he  is  never  pulled  forward  at  the  moment  when  the 
horse  stretches  out  his  head  and  neck  to  jump.  He  keeps  a 
nice  feeling  on  the  reins — more  by  the  play  of  the  fingers  than 
by  that  of  the  arms — even  during  the  wild  speed  of  a  race, 
which  is  a  fact  that  few  sportsmen  will  admit.  Also,  he  keeps 
his  position  before,  during,  and  after  a  jump.  With  him  there 
is  not  the  slightest  shock ;  everything  is  smooth  and  perfect. 

I  often  hear  people  say  on  racecourses  that  if  a  horse  is 
going  to  fall,  nothing  will  prevent  him,  but  we  can  deceive 
ourselves.  It  is  evident  that  if  an  animal  makes  a  mistake 
and  fails,  he  will  fall  ;  but  what  I  want  to  say  is  that  a  mistake 


•204  JUMPING. 

which  will  not  happen  with  one  jockey  will  occur  with  another 
jockey.  A  horse's  fall  is  very  often  due  to  the  man  who  rides 
him.  I  mention  the  following  instance  of  this  because  it  is 
conclusive  : — 

In  one  season  at  Auteuil,  Hatchet  won  nine  races  out  of 
eleven  on  Baudres,  and  the  horse  fell  in  the  two  races  he  lost. 
For  personal  motives,  another  jockey  of  very  high  reputation 
was  put  on  Baudres,  who,  in  seven  races,  fell  four  times  and 
lost  each  of  these  four  events.  After  that  Hatchet  won  ten 
consecutive  races  on  Baudres  without  a  fall.  Thus,  Baudres 
fell  four  times  out  of  seven  with  a  good  jockey,  and  fell  only 
twice  out  of  twenty-one  races  with  a  jockey  whom  I  con- 
sider to  be  exceptionally  good.  A  remarkable  fact  which 
perhaps  will  help  the  reader  to  remember  what  I  have  said, 
is  that  all  these  falls  occurred  at  the  brook  in  front  of  the 
stands.* 

Hatchet  has  a  particular  way  of  his  own  in  taking  the  last 
turn  on  the  Auteuil  racecourse,  which  is  on  the  left  of  the 
stands,  and  is  very  sharp.  He  takes  it  very  short,  and 
slackens  his  speed  to  a  marked  extent.  The  others  keep  up 
the  speed,  and  are  consequently  obliged  to  take  a  wide  turn. 
Although  the  difference  between  the  two  methods  may  appear 
to  be  of  no  matter,  it  is  of  great  importance.  As  Hatchet 
turns  very  short,  he  loses  no  ground,  although  he  slackens 
speed,  because  he  has  less  space  to  cover ;  and  as  he  thus 
allows  his  horse  to  recover  his  wind,  he  is  able,  in  the  straight 
run  home,  to  get  out  of  his  animal  a  last  and  supreme  effort, 
which  the  others  cannot  obtain,  because  they  kept  up  full 
speed  the  whole  time. 

We  should  not  forget  that  in   such  cases,  horses  win  races 

*  In  that  fence  there  was  nothing  to  catch  a  horse's  legs.  To  clear  it,  like  all 
other  wide  jumps,  the  only  thing  that  was  required  was  plenty  of  impulse. 
Seeing  Baudres  change  his  leg  a  few  yards  from  this  fence  on  account  of  the 
jockey  trying  to  raise  his  head,  I  said  to  his  owner :  "  Your  horse  is  going  to 
fall."     In  fact,  the  impulse  was  stopped  and  the  fall  came  off. 


JUMPING.  205 

not  with  their  legs  but  with  their  lungs,  namely,  by  being  able 
to  stay. 

I  have  lately  mentioned  the  name  of  H.  Andrews,  which 
was  a  pleasure  I  could  not  resist,  when  finishing  the  des- 
cription of  the  particular  qualities  which  make  him  unrivalled. 
Any  one  who  has  not  seen  Andrews  finishing,  can  have  no 
idea  of  the  enormous  energy  he  possesses.  I  have  seen  him, 
on  losing  his  whip,  take  his  cap  to  flog  his  horse  ;  and  then 
losing  his  cap,  he  used  his  right  arm  and  hand  with  the  utmost 
vigour  and  perseverance.  It  is  no  exaggeration  to  say  that  when 
coming  up  to  the  winning-post,  he  communicates  energy  to 
his  horse,  and  shoves  him  in  front  in  a  particular  way  of  his. 
own,  without  the  slightest  slackening  off. 


206 


CHAPTER   V. 

FLAT     RACING. 

I  HAD  occasion  to  say,  that  in  all  exercises,  the  ordinary 
horseman,  riding  master  or  jockey  should  know  what  he  ought 
to  require  from  his  horse.  It  is  generally  but  wrongly 
thought  that  this  rule  does  not  hold  good  with  respect  to  flat 
racing,  at  which  the  most  successful  jockeys  are  those  who 
best  conform  to  it. 

In  a  flat  race,  when  all  the  horses  are  on  about  the  same 
level,  as  regards  speed  and  staying  power,  the  jockey  who 
can  set  the  pace  in  his  own  way  will  have  the  best  chance, 
and  consequently  his  success  will  depend  on  his  knowledge  of 
his  animal's  capabilities.  He  will  give  him  the  exact  support 
which  is  necessary,  and  will  put  him  at  the  speed  to  which  he 
has  been  accustomed  towards  the  end  of  his  training  ;  will 
maintain  it  during  the  race,  and  will  reserve  his  supreme 
effort  for  the  finish. 

As  the  horse  has  not  been  over-ridden  during  the  race, 
he  can  easily,  at  the  finish,  make  the  last  rush,  upon  which 
success  almost  always  depends.  I  can  easily  prove  this 
fact  by  the  case  of  Archiduc,  whom  everyone  remembers. 
On  three  consecutive  occasions,  Archiduc  took  the  lead 
at  a  pace  which  suited  him,  and  no  horse  was  able  to  get 
near  him.  In  the  Chantilly  Derby,  however,  Fra  Diavolo 
tried   to  take  the  lead.     These  two  struggled  for  supremacy. 


FLAT    RACING.  207 

and  were  at  the  top  of  their  speed  before  a  quarter  of 
the  distance  had  been  covered.  The  jockey  of  Little 
Duck,  who  was  behind,  did  not  trouble  about  the  others, 
but  judged  his  own  pace  for  three-quarters  of  the  course, 
and  thus  saved  his  animal's  powers  for  the  last  moment, 
at  which  time  he  suddenly  sat  down  and  rode,  passed  the 
others,  who  had  not  an  effort  left  in  them,  and  won  easily. 
The  jockey  of  Little  Duck  simply  put  into  practice  the 
rule  which  I  have  specified.  In  a  word,  he  knew  how  to 
keep  something  for  a  rainy  day,  which  in  this  case  was 
a  reserve  of  energy  to  be  used  at  the  finish. 

The  greatest  difficulty  for  a  jockey  who  is  leading,  is  to 
judge  the  pace,  and  to  know  how  fast  his  horse  ought  to  go.* 
If  he  goes  beyond  this  speed,  he  will  take  the  wind  out  of  his 
horse,  and  will  be  unable  to  make  a  last  rush.  If  he  keeps 
back,  he  will  necessarily  do  so  by  taking  too  strong  a  hold  of 
the  reins,  and  will  consequently  tire  the  horse's  loins  and 
hocks.  But  it  is  the  loins  and  hocks  which  win  a  race  at  the 
finish. 

The  best  jockeys  win  at  the  last  moment,  and  as  near  the 
winning-post  as  possible.  Their  perfect  knowledge  of  pace 
enables  them  to  judge  if  their  opponents  can  keep  up  the 
speed  at  which  they  are  going,  and  to  feel  if  they  can  increase 
their  own  speed.  At  Chantilly,  I  saw  Watts  on  Louis  d'Or 
apply  this  principle  in  a  very  clever  and  lucky  manner.  It 
was  a  welter  race,  and  all  of  them  carried  I2st.  81b.  Atalante 
was  the  favourite,  and  was  certainly  the  best  made  to  carry 
weight. 

In  this  two-mile  race,  Watts  let  Louis  d'Or  go  his  own  pace, 
and  did  not  try  to  catch  up  the  others.  Although  he  was  two 
hundred  yards  behind  at  the  beginning,  he  did  not  increase  his 
speed.     The  others   having  gone    too    fast,   were  obliged  to 

*  Such  judgment  is  extremely  difficult  with  a  speed  of  about  eleven  hundred 
yards  in  a  minute. 


2o8  FLAT   RACING. 

slacken  speed,  but  he  maintained  the  same  pace  and  beat  the 
favourite  by  a  few  yards.  We  can  say  with  confidence  that 
he  won  this  race  by  his  knowledge  of  pace. 

Fred,  Archer  gave  a  grand  performance  by  winning  the 
Grand  Prix  of  Paris  on  Paradox.  He  did  not  fail  for  an 
instant  in  fine  horsemanship,  coolness  and  cleverness.  At 
first  he  remained  behind  his  field,  but  towards  the  end  he 
drew  up  alongside  Reluisant,  who  had  won  the  Chantilly 
Derby,  and  was  his  only  formidable  opponent.  He  stuck 
close  to  him,  and  although  he  saw  that  Reluisant  could  go 
no  faster,  he  kept  with  him  until  close  to  the  winning- 
post,  and  then  won  by  a  neck.  This  victory  shows  us  only 
a  part  of  Archer's  talent.  The  thing  which  was  best  about 
him  and  which  made  him  a  great  master,  was  his  seat. 
He  sat  well  into  the  saddle,  and  rode  with  long  stirrups. 
When  he  raised  himself  on  his  stirrups,  his  seat  grazed  the 
saddle. 

His  seat  had  no  resemblance  to  the  strange,  if  not  ridiculous 
position  which  many  jockeys  adopt,  and  which  some  of  them 
exaggerate  to  such  a  degree  that  we  could  place  a  hat  between 
them  and  the  saddle.*  Archer  always  sat  like  a  horseman, 
with  his  horse  enclosed  between  his  hands  and  legs. 

In  short  distance  races,  he  was  unjustly  said  to  be  tricky  at 
getting  off  first.  At  the  moment  when  the  starter  lowers  his 
flag,  the  majority  of  jockeys  are  content  to  slacken  the  reins 
and  let  the  horses  go  off  as  they  like  or  as  they  can.  Archer 
left  nothing  to  chance,  and  he  ruled  his  horse  like  the  true 
horseman  that  he  was.  Having  always  his  legs  close  to  the 
horse's  sides,  he  surprised  the  animal  at  the  moment  of 
starting  by  a  vigorous  pressure  of  the  legs,  and  instantly  put 

*  Jockeys,  of  whom  the  majority  sit  badly,  do  not  now  ride  in  a  "  triangle," 
as  people  formerly  said,  with  the  reins,  saddle  and  stirrups  as  their  three  points 
of  support.  If  this  style  has  left  the  turf,  it  is  still  unfortunately  employed  in 
hacking. 


FLAT   RACING.  209 

him  on  his  feet  before  the  others  could  get  on  theirs.  He 
was  therefore  going  fast  before  his  opponents  were  out  of  a 
canter. 

We  see  by  these  examples  that  all  kinds  of  riding  resemble 
each  other.  The  science  of  equitation  is  as  necessary  to  a 
jockey  as  to  any  one  else,  and  consists  of  judgment,  hands 
and  leg's. 


M 


210 


CHAPTER    VI. 
THE    HUNTER. 

Although  a  hunter  need  not  be  of  any  particular  breed,  he 
should  be  chosen  from  the  best  horses.  My  advice  to  a  man 
who  wants  to  hunt  is  to  select  a  horse  which  has  been  born, 
reared  and  trained  in  the  country  where  the  hunting  is  to  take 
place.  Horses,  like  men,  have  natural  capabilities  which 
correspond  to  the  climate  and  nature  of  their  native  land.  If 
they  are  sent  elsewhere  they  will  lose  these  qualities,  without 
being  able  to  acquire  those  of  the  animals  which  were  born  in 
the  place. 

Let  us  take  for  instance  the  small  horse  of  the  Pyrennees, 
which  has  marvellous  qualities.  In  his  own  country  he  is 
clever,  active,  very  sure-footed  and  temperate,  and  in  the 
country  about  Pau  he  makes  a  first-rate  hunter  ;  but  if  he  is 
taken  to  Rome  or  Vendee  he  will  lose  some  of  his  good 
qualities.  It  is  the  same  with  all  other  breeds  of  horses. 
Therefore,  for  hunting,  take  a  horse  of  the  country.  The 
English  hunter  is  the  only  animal  which  is  good  in  all 
countries,  and  which  preserves  his  good  qualities,  no  matter 
what  is  the  nature  of  the  sport.  He  combines  almost  all  the 
desirable  points.  He  is  nearly  thorough-bred,  although  his 
shape  and  make  are  not  what  we  would  look  for  in  a  race 
horse,  vi^hich  has  plenty  of  daylight  under  him.     The  hunter 


THE    HUNTER.  211 

is  closer  to  the  ground,  and  should  be  particularly  good  about 
the  loins  and  hocks.* 

His  breaking  begins  later  than  that  of  the  thorough-bred. 
He  is  taken  up  at  about  three-and-a-half  years  old,  and 
requires  a  year  or  eighteen  months  to  learn  his  work."!" 

In  judging  him,  we  should  specially  consider  his  style  of 
jumping  different  fences,  and  the  pace  at  which  he  takes  them. 
If  the  obstacle  is  a  hedge,  he  should  take  it  quietly,  on  account 
of  the  small  effort  required  to  clear  it.  If  it  is  high  and  stiff 
he  should  collect  himself  for  a  big  effort,  and  should  go  very 
straight  and  steadily  at  it.  If  it  is  a  fairly  wide  stream,  the 
pace  should  be  quite  different,  and  the  head  and  neck,  which 
should  not  be  hampered  by  the  hands,  should  be  extended. 
The  horse  should  stretch  himself  out,  should  take  a  light  but 
very  free  bearing  on  the  hands,  and  jump  at  full  speed  with 
freedom  and  pleasure. 

The  only  fault  an  English  hunter  has,  is  that  he  costs  a 
great  deal  of  money.  Usually  one  pa}'s  about  three  hundred 
pounds  for  a  good  animal  of  this  sort  ;  but  in  exceptional 
cases,  the  price  may  be  five  or  six  hundred.  I  repeat  that  this 
kind  of  horse  is  the  only  animal  which  is  fit  to  hunt  anywhere. 

In  every  country,  except  in  England,  it  is  generally  thought 
that  as  accidents  are  very  common  in  hunting,  only  cheap 
horses  should  be  used  for  this  work.  All  my  readers  know 
from  experience  that  in  buying  a  horse,  they  cannot  be  sure 
of  getting  value  for  their  money.  Therefore  I  think  it  very 
foolish  to  practise  economy  when  buying  a  hunter.  The 
English,  who  are  very  practical,  and  who  know  the  value  of 

*  The  hunter  is  the  only  horse  they  have  not  tried  to  produce  in  France.  This 
is  to  be  regretted,  because  breeders  would  have  succeeded  with  him,  as  with  other 
horses.     Frenchmen  make  the  mistake  of  wanting  cheap  hunters. 

I'  His  work  is  simply  jumping,  and  he  never  fetches  a  high  price,  unless  he  is 
a  free  goer,  very  sure-footed  and  a  big  jumper.  The  long  training  which  he 
requires  is  the  cause  of  his  high  market  value.  Ordinary  jumpers  are  ready  at 
from  three-and-a-half  to  four  years  old. 

14* 


212  THE    HUNTER. 

money,  are  economical  in  the  purchase  of  harness  horses  ;  but 
price  does  not  stop  them  when  buying  a  hunter,  to  whom  they 
will  have  to  trust  their  life. 

We  often  hear  it  said  that  Mr.  X  is  fortunate  with  all  his 
horses,  and  that  Mr.  Y,  being  out  of  luck,  cannot  place  his 
hand  on  a  good  animal.  We  may  be  certain  that  chance  has 
not  much  to  say  in  this  matter.  The  fact  that  Mr.  X  has 
often  good  horses  is  perhaps  due  to  his  understanding  their 
powers  and  working  them  with  good  judgment.  If  Mr.  Y 
has  only  bad  horses,  notwithstanding  the  long  prices  he  gives, 
it  is  perhaps  because  he  is  an  indifferent  rider  who  does  not 
understand  horses,  and  is  ignorant  of  what  he  ought  to  require 
from  a  horse  and  of  the  manner  he  ought  to  require  it, 

I  do  not  hesitate  to  recommend  those  who  will  take  my 
humble  advice,  to  get  the  best  and  strongest  horse  they  can 
for  hunting. 

The  English  say  that  hacking  is  an  art,*  and  hunting  is. 
pluck.  In  my  opinion  this  proverb  is  absolutely  correct. 
Without  doubt  pluck  is  required  more  with  hounds  than  when 
hacking,  because  the  speed  is  greater,  and  the  fences  are  un- 
known. Nevertheless,  pluck  cannot  replace  the  science  of 
riding,  which  is  even  more  necessary  when  crossing  a  country 
than  when  hacking,  because  the  risks  are  greater  and  more 
frequent. 

To  hunt,  as  well  as  to  hack  or  ride  races,  it  is  necessary  to 
know  how  to  ride. 

*  I  must  say  that  I  have  always  seen  more  hacking  than  art  in  Rotten  Row. 


213 


I 

CHAPTER   VII. 

THE    ARMY   HORSE.* 

My  intention  was  to  discuss  in  this  book  all  kinds  of  riding, 
but  up  to  the  present  I  have  spoken  only  of  hacking,  riding  for 
sport,  and  breaking. 

The  saddle  horse  is  not  only  destined  for  sport,  and  riding  is 
not  merely  a  luxury.  At  the  present  time  the  horse  is  an 
essential  element  of  the  military  power  of  a  country.  He  is  a 
warlike  arm  which  it  is  necessary   to    choose,    prepare,  and 

manage. 

Late  wars  have  proved  that  cavalry  are  required  to  play  a 
decisive  part  in  military  operations.  In  every  country,  this 
branch  of  the  service  has  been  increased  in  number  and 
strength.  Recently  pamphlets,  leading  articles  of  newspapers, 
and  reviews  have  shown  the  great  attention  with  which  the 
public  has  studied  the  subject. 

I  trust  I  may  be  permitted,  or  at  least  pardoned  for  saying 
a  few  words  about  the  war  horse.f 

*  I  hope  that  my  readers  will  excuse  the  liberty  and  freedom  of  my  criticisms, 
on  account  of  my  absolute  conviction  that  they  are  only  too  well  founded.  Be- 
sides, I  believe  that  many  persons  who  have  special  knowledge  about 
these  things,  would  willingly  agree  with  the  majority  of  my  observations,  if  they 
had  liVjerty  of  speech. 

t  In  my  opinion,  the  half  bred  is  the  best  animal  for  war.  In  this  I  am  not 
contradicting  myself,  although  I  said  at  the  beginning  of  this  book,  that  I  pre- 
ferred the  thorough-bred  to  all  others.  He  has  energy  and  cleverness  which  is 
rarely  found  to  the  same  extent  in  other  horses  ;  but  these  qualities  are  not  the 
only  desirable  ones  in  an  army  horse.     The  thorough-bred  will  perhaps  stand 


214  THE   ARMY    HORSE. 

The  troop  horse,  which  is  the  constitutive  element  of  the 
cavalry,  ought  to  have  certain  qualities,  of  which  the  principal 
are  soundness  and  hardiness.  With  him  it  is  not  a  question  of 
fine  handling  or  scientific  movements.  He  has  to  carry  his 
man  safely  and  for  a  long  distance,  and  by  the  strength  of  his 
constitution  he  has  to  bear  fatigue  and  all  the  miseries  of  a 
campaign. 

Also,  he  must  not  cost  too  much,  because  money  is  the  chief 
sinew  of  war,  despite  progress  and  innovations. 

A  horse  does  not  cost  merely  the  sum  paid  to  his  owner,  to 
which  has  to  be  added  all  the  money  spent  on  him  from,  the 
day  of  his  purchase  to  the  time  he  is  really  fit  for  work.  A 
horse  bought  for  forty  pounds,  which  has  to  be  looked  after 
and  fed  for  a  year  at  a  remount  depot,  before  being  sent  to  his 
regiment,  will  really  cost  eighty  pounds  up  to  the  day  he  takes 
his  place  in  the  ranks. 

I  have  not  the  presumption  to  discuss  financial  and  military 
questions,  which  are  entirely  beyond  my  province.  I  reason 
only  as  a  horseman.  I  say  with  respect  to  remounts,  that  we 
should  consider  their  necessary  qualifications  and  net  cost  at 
the  same  time.  If  I  occupied  myself  with  their  qualifications 
without  touching  on  the  subject  of  price,  my  theory  might 
appear  useless,  but  I  have  the  one  firm  ambition  to  give  only 
practical  advice. 

We  all  know  how  horses  are  bought  for  the  army.     Remount 

fatigue  better  than  any  other.  In  a  charge  he  has  marvellous  and  incomparable 
dash  ;  but  how  will  he  bear  all  the  privations  and  miseries  of  a  campaign  ? 

In  the  Crimea,  the  English  lost  the  majority  of  their  thorough-breds,  but  the 
Normans,  Percherons,  Bretons  and  Auvergnans  held  out  admirably.  The  war 
horse  ought  to  remain  serviceable  under  conditions  of  hunger,  cold,  rain,  snow 
and  nights  without  shelter  or  covering.  I  do  not  think  that  the  thorough-bred  is 
capable  of  this  form  of  endurance. 

A  breed  which  has  not  been  hardened  may  yield  capital  horses  for  ordinary  work, 
but  they  will  not  be  hardy  and  enduring  enough  for  warfare. 

To  make  use  of  a  thoroughbred,  one  must  know  more  than  ordinary  cavalry- 
men do  about  riding. 


THE    ARMY    HORSE.  215 

officers  go  to  the  different  breeding  centres,  examine  the  horses 
from  three  to  four  years'  old,  and  make  purchases.  These 
visits  are  necessarily  foreseen.  Dealers  of  all  nationalities,  and 
especially  foreigners,  take  the  precaution  to  come  prior  to  the 
arrival  of  the  remount  officers,  and  buy  the  best  they  can 
find,  which  is  easy  for  them,  because  they  give  a  better  price. 
The  remount  people  choose  the  best  of  what  is  left.  These 
horses,  which  are  considered  too  young  for  any  work,  are  sent 
to  the  remount  depots,  where  they  are  kept  until  they  are  five 
years  old.  Sometimes  they  are  put  out  to  grass  with  farmers 
at  a  moderate  cost. 

I  set  aside  all  details  to  arrive  at  the  principal  point,  namely, 
the  age  at  which  remounts  should  be  bought  ;  taking  for 
granted  that  they  are  not  fit  for  work  until  five  years  old.* 
Only  at  that  age  they  are  begun  to  be  exercised  and  are  put 
to  more  or  less  appropriate  regular  work,  in  other  words,  they 
are  broken  in.  This  system  is  a  tradition  and  a  principle  ; 
but  at  the  risk  of  running  against  all  accepted  ideas,  I  say 
that  the  tradition  is  an  error,  the  principle  false  and  the 
system  bad. 

It  is  a  loss  of  precious  time  to  keep  a  horse  until  he  is  five 
years  old  before  exercising,  breaking  and  training  him  for 
military  purposes.  Besides,  this  delay  doubles  his  first  cost 
and  deteriorates  his  physical  organs,  which  suffer  atrophy,  on 
account  of  insufficient  feeding  and  work. 

At  three  years  and  a  half,  a  well-shaped  horsef  which  has 

*  Technically,  the  horses  are  five  years  old,  because  they  take  their  age  from 
the  first  of  January  ;  but  really  they  are  only  four  years  and  nine  months, 
because  they  are  born  in  the  spring.  They  go  to  their  regiments  in  the  first 
half  of  the  October  of  their  fourth  year,  and  are  then  four  years  and  six  months  old. 

They  are  put  in  the  squadron  of  the  depot  to  have  the  rough  edge  taken  off 
them,  and  are  accustomed  to  the  stable,  saddle,  weight  of  a  man,  and  external 
objects.  In  the  first  half  of  January,  that  is  to  say,  when  they  are  four  years 
and  nine  months  old,  they  are  sent  to  their  respective  regiments,  and  their 
breaking  commences. 

1 1  mean  a  French  horse,  from  whatever  part  he  may  come. 


2i6  THE    ARMY    HORSE. 

been  properly  fed  and  exercised,  is  sufficiently  developed  and 
strong  to  bear  the  gradual  work  which  precedes  and 
facilitates  breaking.  By  the  age  of  four  years  he  could  be 
properly  broken  and  rendered  fit  for  military  service,  after  a 
few  months  of  which  work,  his  training  is  complete,  and  he 
has  the  strength  and  endurance  that  are  pre-eminently  neces- 
sary in  an  arm)^  horse. 

If  we  wish  to  discard  routine,  and  to  adopt  a  system  of 
liberal  feeding  and  rational  breaking,  we  will  obtain  a  troop 
horse  which,  at  four  and  a  half  years,  will  be  worth  as  much 
or  more  than  the  six-\'ear  old  horse,  after  he  has  been 
broken. 

Whence  comes  the  deeply-rooted  idea  that  a  horse  cannot 
be  used  in  the  army  before  he  is  five  years  old  ?  How  is  it 
that  many  eminent  remount  officers  have  perpetuated  this 
principle  ?  I  suppose  that,  having  ascertained  that  the  five- 
year  old  horses  the}'  procured  were  weak  and  undeveloped, 
they  concluded  that  it  would  have  been  impossible  to  work 
them  earlier.  They  were  content  with  the  fact,  but  did  not 
try  to  find  out  the  cause. 

Nevertheless  it  has  been  long  and  repeatedly  proved  that  a 
three-year  old  horse,  which  has  been  well  fed  and  well 
exercised,  can  do  ver}-  hard  work,  and  maintain  a  high  rate 
of  speed.* 

''*■  If  the  objection  is  made  that  some  (not  many)  of  the  animals  may  suffer,  I 
answer  that  I  propose  that  only  horses  three  years  and  six  months  and  even 
three  years  and  nine  months  old  should  be  broken,  in  which  case  they  will  have  a 
preparation  of  three  months.  Also,  I  would  not  require  from  them  such 
severe  work  as  similarly  bred  animals  which  race,  have  to  do,  and  which  are 
trained  at  two-and-a-half  years  old  at  the  latest. 

Another  objection  it  made  about  the  great  difference  between  the  weights 
carried  by  a  race  horse  and  troop  horse  ;  but  the  latter  is  a  year  older  than  the 
former,  and  his  stronger  build  enables  him  to  carry  weight  better.  He  is  hardier, 
he  carries  his  full  weight  only  on  exceptional  occasions,  and  his  work  is  much 
slower.  If  we  go  on  gradually,  as  is  done  with  race  horses,  we  shall  succeed 
without  any  difficulty  in  developing  his  weight-carrying  power. 

To  the  pure  theorists   who  wish   to  wait  for  the   complete  ossification  of  the 


THE    ARMY    HORSE.  217 

Let  us  take  as  an  example  the  numerous  half-bred  horses  of 
Normandy.  They  are  supposed  to  be  the  least  precocious  of 
all  the  horses  produced  in  France,  and  it  is  generally  admitted 
that  they  cannot  be  got  ready  much  earlier  than  six  years  old. 

Norman  breeders  naturally  class  their  colts,  at  first,  accord- 
ing to  their  origin,  and  afterwards  by  their  make  and  shape. 

The  young  animals  are  put  into  the  three  following 
■classes :  — 

1.  Match  trotters. 

2.  Horses  for  fashionable  purposes*  and  for  trade  work. 

3.  Remounts. 

Trotters  begin  to  be  gradually  exercised  and  trained  at  two 
years  old,  or  at  two  and  a  half  at  latest.  They  are  generally 
full  grown  at  three,  are  in  good  form  and  compete  in  races. 
The  best  trotting  prizes  are  reserved  for  three-year  olds. 
They  can  actually  trot  a  distance  of  two  miles  and  a  half  in 
.about  six  minutes  and  a  half.  The  distance  is  often  over 
three  miles,  to  successfully  cover  which  the  trotter  requires 
speed  and  staying  power.  During  his  training,  and  during 
the  time  he  is  racing,  he  has  to  undergo  the  severest  exertion 
of  which  a  horse  is  capable,  "f* 

A  horse  for  fashionable  purposes,  which  is  intended  for  a 
■dealer  who  can  pa)^  a  good  price  for  him,   is  almost  a  foal  at 

cartilages  before  putting  a  horse  into  work,  I  reply  by  advising  them  to  buy  five- 
-and-a-half  year  old  horses,  so  as  to  have  them  ready  at  six.  They  will  tell  me 
that  such  animals  cannot  be  found.  Why  ?  Because  trade  gives  them  to  the 
buyer  at  a  much  earlier  age.  Therefore  the  universal  practice  is  to  work  them  at 
,an  earlier  age.  Q.  E.  D.  The  four  year  old  should,  of  course,  be  treated  with 
care.     Here  the  important  thing  is  to  prove  that  at  that  age  he  is  fit  for  work. 

*  This  class  comprises  horses  which  had  been  intended  to  act  as  stallions  in 
studs,  but  as  they  did  not  fulfil  the  expectations  of  their  owners,  they  were 
■cut  and  used  for  commercial  purposes. 

t  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  half-bred  trotters  stand  racing  better  than 
thorough-breds. 

Thorough-breds  "click"  ("forge  ")  when  running  or  when  being  trained,  far 
more  frequently  than  half-breds. 


2i8  THE    ARMY    HORSE. 

three  years  old.  His  growth  is  incomplete,  his  body  slender, 
he  is  soft,  and  he  ought  not  to  be  worked.  He  approaches 
his  full  height,  puts  on  muscle,  and  becomes  capable  of 
moderate  work  only  when  he  is  rising  four,  or  is  four  off ;  and 
we  then  find  him  in  the  hands  of  the  dealer,  fat,  glossy,  and 
ready  for  the  purchaser  who  is  in  no  hurry  and  who  does  not 
want  much  from  him.  The  same  remarks  may  be  made  about 
the  commercial  horse,  who  differs  from  the  fashionable  one 
only  as  regards  price. 

The  three-year-old  remount  is  of  no  value.  He  is  generally 
fat,  at  from  three  to  four  years  old,  when  he  is  shown  to  the 
purchasing  officer.  A  few  feeds  of  oats  at  the  last  moment, 
the  whip,  and  ginger,  give  him  an  appearance  of  strength  \ 
but  in  reality  his  muscles  are  weak,  and  he  has  neither  good 
paces  nor  staying  power.  Left  to  himself  he  gives  v/ay,  goes 
on  his  shoulders,  and  is  not  fit  for  any  kind  of  work. 

Such  are  the  horses  which  are  nearly  of  the  same  breed. 
Some  are  fully  furnished  at  three  years  of  age,  and  can  stand 
training  and  racing,  which  are  the  hardest  kind  of  work. 
Others  at  four-and-a-half  years  old  are  hardly  ready  for  even 
very  moderate  work.  It  is  therefore  necessary  to  take  great 
care  of  them,  to  let  them  acquire  strength,  and  to  give  them 
the  muscular  development  of  which  they  are  deficient. 

Whence  comes  this  difference  ?  Does  Nature  make  some 
more  precocious  than  others,  all  being  of  the  same  origin  ?  Is 
a  horse's  muscular  development  in  inverse  proportion  to  his 
good  looks  and  speed  ?  In  no  way  !  This  great  difference 
results  solely  from  the  method  employed  in  feeding  and 
educating  different  classes  of  horses.  If  a  uniform  system 
were  used,  all  would  have  similar  precocity,  development,  and 
power.  Horses  differ  in  shape,  action,  and  usefulness,  but  if 
they  were  all  treated  properly  up  to  the  age  of  three  years, 
they  would  all  be  sufficiently  hardy  for  any  kind  of  work. 
The  half-bred  trotter  which  is  trained  and  run   at   three  vears 


THE   ARMY   HORSE.  2ig. 

old  is  a  proof  of  this.  His  work  is  extremely  hard,  and  is  out 
of  all  proportion  as  compared  to  that  required  from  a  fashion- 
able horse,  or  from  a  troop  horse,  and  he  can  stand  it  as  well 
or  better  than  any  other  kind  of  animal  without  becoming 
unsound.  He  is,  however,  well  fed  from  the  first,  and  is. 
methodically  exercised  from  an  early  age.  In  fact,  he  is 
brought  up  like  a  thorough-bred. 

All  race  horses  are  not  thorough-breds,  but  all  have  been 
brought  up  with  a  view  to  racing.  From  their  birth  they 
receive  the  care  and  feeding  which  is  appropriate  to  the  work 
they  will  have  to  do.  They  begin  to  eat  a  little  oats  during 
the  first  days  of  their  life,  and  when  six  or  eight  months  old 
they  get  five  quarts  of  oats  a  day.  At  eighteen  months  they 
are  stabled,  highly  fed,  and  trained.  At  two  years  old  they 
take  part  in  special  races. 

A  similar,  though  somewhat  slower  method,  is  employed 
with  trotters,  which  do  not  run  until  they  are  three  years  old. 
In  both  cases  nature  is  helped  by  feeding,  and  by  gradual  and 
constant  exercise. 

The  breeder  of  other  horses  hinders  nature  by  insufficient 
feeding.  A  horse  grows  fast,  and  his  skeleton  and  muscular 
system  are  large.  In  order  that  he  may  grow  quickly,  and 
acquire  the  necessary  strength,  his  food  should  be  abundant, 
and  his  exercise  should  be  favourable  for  the  development  of 
his  strength  and  speed.  The  only  young  horses  which  are 
well  fed  and  exercised,  are  those  which  are  intended  for  racing 
or  for  stud  purposes.  Other  animals  are  kept  at  grass, 
because  that  is  the  most  economical  method  of  bringing  them 
up.  Under  the  influence  of  this  watery  and  innutritious  food 
and  want  of  exercise,  the  horse's  development  is  retarded  in 
every  way,  his  bones  ossify  slowly,  and  his  muscles  do  not 
stand  out.  The  older  he  grows,  the  more  debilitated  does 
he  become.  x-\t  three  years  he  is  only  backward,  but  between 
four  and   five  }'ears   of  age  he   suffers  greatly  from  anaemia,. 


220  THE    ARMY    HORSE. 

which  is  a  poverty-stricken  disease  that  needs  repair.  I  feel 
certain  that  success  in  its  treatment  can  only  be  incomplete, 
and  that  a  horse  recovering  from  it  can  never  bs  as  good  as  he 
would  have  been,  had  he  been  brought  up  differently.  The 
longer  we  wait  to  restore  the  young  horse,  the  longer  and 
more  unsuccessful  will  be  the  treatment.  If  the  animal  is  only 
a  three-year-old,  a  few  months  may  be  sufficient,  but  if  he  is 
four  years,  and  still  more  if  he  is  five,  he  will  require  a  year 
or  longer.  This  undeniable  fact  is  easily  explained,  because 
the  longer  the  animal  suffers  from  anaemia,  the  more  severe 
does  the  disease  become,  and  the  greater  is  the  general 
wasting. 

The  numerous  cases  of  mortality  among  young  horses  are 
to  be  attributed  to  this  state  of  impoverishment  (anaemia). 
The  debility  which  results  from  insufficient  food  during 
the  period  of  growth,  makes  them  unable  to  resist  the 
slightest  illness  or  the  most  trifling  accident.  It  is  also  the 
cause  of  many  diseases,  strangles,  for  instance,  and  obscure 
lamenesses  which  are  generally  put  down  to  youth.  A 
young  horse  is  vigorous  and  healthy,  if  he  is  brought  up 
under  good  conditions  ;  but  is  weak  and  sickly  if  he  has 
a  lymphatic  temperament,  or  is  anaemic  from  want  of  food 
or  exercise. 

Norman  horses  are  generally  lymphatic,  soft  and  backward, 
because  Normandy  produces  less  oats  than  other  breeding 
districts,  and  it  is  the  custom  in  that  country  to  give  it  only 
to  trotters.  The  breed  feels  the  bad  effects  of  this,  and  soon 
degenerates,  unless  the  stallions  are  chosen  from  trotters 
which,  having  been  always  kept  in  good  condition,  are  able 
partly  to  correct  the  lymphatic  temperament  of  the  dam 
which  has  suffered  from  anaemia  in  her  }-outh. 

It  is  not  correct  to  say  that  trotters  acquire  their  magnifi- 
cent development  and  strength  on  account  of  their  being 
exceptional    animals.     Besides  the   brilliant   instances    which 


THE    ARMY    HORSE.  221 

have  been  mentioned,  there  are  many  trotters  which  compete 
in  local  events,  and  after  leaving  the  racecourse  do  excellent 
work.  Often  they  have  nothing  remarkable  about  them, 
except  their  pace.  They  are  not  naturally  precocious,  and 
have  advanced  by  care,  good  feeding,  and  education,  while 
others  have  remained  behind. 

At  five  years  old  the  French  horse  could  have  nearly  all 
his  height  and  strength  and  be  ready  for  breaking.  If  he 
is  otherwise,  the  state  of  his  development  will  be  propor- 
tionate to  the  amount  and  nature  of  the  food  and  exercise  he 
has  received. 

Formerly  it  was  the  rule  among  riding  masters  not  to  break- 
in  a  horse  for  high-school  work  until  he  was  at  least  seven 
years  old.  For  many  years  I  thought  and  acted  like  the 
others,  and  to  make  my  school  horses.  I  took  animals  of  from 
seven  to  eight  years  old  ;  but  little  by  little,  I  became  im- 
pressed by  what  I  saw  on  racecourses.  At  Epsom,  Chantilly, 
Auteuil,  and  Longchamp,  the  longest  and  severest  races  were 
reserved  for  three-year  olds.*  I  observed  that  when  breaking- 
in  a  school  horse  I  did  not  require  from  him  a  tenth  of  the 
exertion  which  he  would  have  to  do,  if  he  was  trained  or 
raced.  Starting  on  the  principle  that  if  a  horse  can  do  much, 
he  can  do  little,  I  came  to  the  conclusion  that  a  three-year- 
old  which  could  stand  training  and  racing,  would  much  more 
easily  stand  school  breaking.  Although  this  reasoning  ap- 
pears to  me  to-day  to  be  very  simple,  I  was  not  able  to  act 
on  it  without  extreme  timidity,  so  great  is  the  influence  of 
preconceived  ideas.  Whenever  I  spoke  about  it  to  horsemen 
and  authorities  of  that  time,  they  shrugged  their  shoulders, 
and  regarded  it  as  nonsensical.     Since  then  I  have  learned 

*  Without  doubt  the  objection  will  be  made  that  a  great  number  break  down 
in  training.  To  this  I  reply  that  they  begin  their  training  at  the  age  of  eighteen 
months,  which  is  a  very  dangerous  proceeding.  I  finally  propose  to  begin 
breaking  at  three -and-a-half  years  ;  the  amount  of  exertion  which  I  require  being 
far  less  than  that  incurred  during  training. 


222  THE    ARMY   HORSE. 

that  every  attempted  innovation  runs  a  great  chance  of  being 
received  in  this  manner. 

Nevertheless  I  decided,  not  without  great  apprehension,  to 
make  an  experiment,  and  I  took  in  hand  a  four-year-old 
which  had  been  well  looked  after.  I  found  that  he  had  quite 
as  much  strength,  and  much  more  suppleness,  than  my  other 
pupils  which  were  seven  years  old.  Encouraged  by  this 
result,  I  tried  a  three-year-old  with  the  same  success.  Since 
then  I  have  broken-in  for  high-school  riding  a  score  of 
thoroughbreds  of  this  age,  and  have  always  obtained  better 
results  than  with  older  horses. 

Finally,  I  pushed  the  experiment  further,  in  order  to  find 
out  the  greatest  amount  of  exertion  which  could  be  demanded 
from  a  very  young  horse  without  distressing  him.  I  broke 
Viscope,  a  thoroughbred  mare  by  Vermouth  out  of  Vinai- 
grette,* when  she  was  two  years  old.  At  three  years  her 
education  was  complete  as  a  hack,  jumper,  and  school  horse, 
and  she  received  a  medal  at  the  horse  show.  She  is  now 
seven  years  old,  perfectly  sound,  unblemished,  and  had  not 
even  a  windgall  when  I  disposed  of  her. 

I  could  cite  many  other  examples.  I  only  wished  to 
explain  how  experience  led  me  to  the  conclusion  that  to  take 
a  horse  at  three-and-a-half  years  old  in  order  to  break  and 
train  him  for  any  particular  work,  is  to  begin  at  an  age  when 
all  horses  which  have  been  properly  brought  up  and  fed,  can 
stand  work.  Further,  it  is  to  take  him  at  an  age  when 
progressive  muscular  exercise  is  indispensable  to  him.  This 
exercise,  so  far  from  wearing  him  out  and  making  him  un- 
sound, strengthens  his  limbs  and  body,  and  quickly  puts  him 
in  full  possession  of  all  his  powers. 

*  The  precocity  of  the  thoroughbred  will  of  course  be  put  forward  as  an  objec- 
tion to  what  I  say  ;  but  we  are  not  concerned  with  two-year-olds.  Besides  this, 
the  precocity  of  feeding  and  exercise  has  always  appeared  to  me  to  have  a  more 
decisive  effect  than  the  precocity  of  breed. 


THE    ARMY    HORSE.  223 

A  three-and-a-half  year  old  horse  is  more  supple  and  can 
be  more  easily  educated  than  a  five-year-old.  He  has  not 
been  able  to  acquire  the  faults  of  temper  which  we  find 
in  him  later  on,  and  which  are  almost  always  the  result  of 
injudicious  or  cruel  treatment  by  people  about  him.  He 
has  not  the  bad  habit — which  all  horses  left  to  themselves 
contract — of  going  on  his  shoulders,  on  which  account  the 
hind  quarters  become  less  developed  than  the  forehand.  We 
can  then  easily  make  him  rely  on  himself,  and  put  equal 
weight  on  all  four  limbs,  which  is  of  great  importance  ;  be- 
cause true  equilibrium  of  the  body  is  the  one  thing  of  all 
others  which  we  should  try  to  obtain  in  breaking  and  riding. 

The  horse  ought  to  be  neither  on  his  shoulders  nor  on  his 
haunches;  but  should  have  his  own  weight  and  that  of  his 
rider  equally  distributed  on  both  ends.  Only  on  this  con- 
dition can  he  be  light,  active,  and  sure-footed,  and  capable  of 
doing  long  and  severe  work  without  injuring  himself,  When 
a  horse  has  been  addicted  for  a  long  time  to  the  habit  of 
standing  and  moving  in  a  state  of  bad  equilibrium,  his  con- 
formation becomes  distorted  and  can  rarely  recover  from  its 
effects.  If,  as  is  the  most  frequent  instance,  the  horse  is  on 
his  shoulders,  his  hind  quarters  are  soft  and  drag  themselves 
along  the  ground,  on  account  of  want  of  exercise  and  develop- 
ment ;  but  the  forehand  works  too  much  and  becomes 
fatigued.  Being  overloaded  and  heavy,  it  has  difficulty  in 
changing  its  place,  and  the  slightest  mistake  or  weakness  will 
involve  the  entire  body.  The  limbs  which  are  overworked 
become  soon  worn  out.  This  is  the  only  cause  of  the  pre- 
mature reductions  which  each  year  decimate  the  effective 
strength  of  cavalry  squadrons,  and  put  many  horses  out  of 
work  at  an  age  when  they  ought  to  be  in  their  prime. 

The  most  essential  part  of  breaking  a  horse  is  to  teach  him 
to  balance  himself  properly.  No  one  will  deny  that  a  horse 
can  be  more  easily  educated  at  three-and-a-half  than  at  five 


224  THE   ARMY    HORSE. 

years,  consequently  it  is  most  important  to  begin  with  a  horse 
at  the  former  age. 

The  entire  question  is  whether  a  three-and-a-half  years 
old  horse  is  or  is  not  sufficiently  developed  and  strong  to  be 
broken  and  worked.  In  this  respect  theory  and  argument 
are  useless  ;  for  facts  are  only  of  value,  and  in  this  case  are 
undeniable  and  invariable.  Half-breds  can  be  broken  and 
trained  for  racing  at  two-and-a-half,  and  they  become  so  fit 
and  well,  that  they  can  run  at  three.  Their  work  during  the 
six  months  of  training  and  during  their  races  is  twenty  times, 
a  hundred  times  more  severe  than  that  which  a  troop  horse 
undergoes  during  his  very  moderate  and  restricted  course 
of  breaking.  We  are  therefore  right  in  concluding  that 
remounts  ought  to  be  bought  at  three  years  old  ;  and  by 
taking  this  as  the  average  age,  we  give  a  chance  to  backward 
breeds,  and  also  to  the  ordinary  methods  of  breeding,  which, 
being  as  economical  as  possible,  have  a  retarding  influence 
in  spite  of  everything. 

Remounts  at  four-and-a-half  and  five  years  of  age  are  not 
really  what  they  appear  to  be,  because  they  have  not  been 
properly  fed  and  exercised.  I  am  not  afraid  of  adding  that 
they  are  worth  more  at  three  years,  because  they  have  suffered 
for  a  shorter  time,  and  because  the  watery  and  debilitating 
food  which  their  breeders  give  them,  though  insufficient  for 
their  requirements  during  the  first  three  years,  becomes  most 
detrimental  to  them  during  their  fourth  and  fifth  year. 
Instead  of  improving  from  three  to  five  years  by  means  of  the 
food  of  his  breeder,  the  young  horse  deteriorates. 

Whatever  one  does,  whatever  price  or  premium  one  gives  to 
the  breeder,  he  will  not  feed  his  stock  properly  between  the 
age  of  three  and  five,  because  it  is  not  his  interest  to  do  so. 

But  we  can  easily  get  him  to  have  his  animal  in  good 
condition  at  three  years  of  age.  Precisely  because  breeding 
is  a  trade,  the  breeder's  chief  object  is  to  get  rid  of  his  stock, 


THE    ARMY    HORSE.  225 

as  early  as  possible.  Knowing  that  every  three-year-old 
which  is  in  good  condition  and  is  well  developed  will  be 
taken,  he  does  his  best  to  promote  the  development  of  the 
animal.  With  a  horse  which  he  sells  at  three  years  of  age,  at 
a  price  even  lower  than  what  he  would  obtain  for  him  between 
four  and  five,  he  can  defray  the  cost  of  feeding,  which  he  could 
not  continue  much  longer.  He  is  forced  to  make  this 
expenditure,  under  pain  of  not  being  able  to  sell  his  stock, 
because  with  a  three-year-old  there  is  but  little  trickery. 
Above  all  things  the  horse  must  have  height,  which  he  will 
not  have  unless  he  has  been  well  fed  and  well  looked  after. 

Finally,  the  State  by  buying  young  horses  would  no  longer 
have  to  compete  against  dealers  of  all  countries,  because  it 
can  do  what  they  cannot  do.  In  fact,  a  dealer  buys  only  to 
sell  again,  with  the  shortest  possible  delay  ;  but  the  three- 
year  old,  when  he  leaves  his  breeder's  hands,  is  not  fit,  even 
for  fashionable  work.  He  requires  to  be  fed  on  corn  and 
broken  during  a  fairly  long  time,  say,  for  about  a  year. 

When  the  remount  authorities  buy  a  horse  between  three 
and  four  years  of  age,  they  put  him  out  to  a  farmer,  whose 
interest  is  to  have  him  poorly  fed,  or  he  is  sent  to  a  remount 
depot.  Either  in  the  former  or  latter  case,  the  horse  is  under 
better  conditions  than  he  was  when  with  his  breeder,  although 
the  conditions  are  not  perfect.  He  does  not  improve  as  much 
as  he  ought  to  do,  and  he  takes  eighteen  months  before  he  is 
ready. 

I  consider  that  these  young  horses  should  be  taken  in  hand 
at  once,  and  put  on  food  which  will  complete  their  develop- 
ment, will  give  them  the  desirable  strength  and  docility,  and 
will  make  them  ready  for  work  at  the  end  of  six  months.  In 
a  word,  they  ought  to  be  fed  on  corn  and  broken  in,  from  the 
first  day,  but  gradually  and  methodically. 

A  remount  depot,  instead  of  being  an  equine  sheep-fold,  as 
it  was  recently  defined  by  a  general  officer,  ought  to  be  a  true 

15 


226  THE    ARMY    HORSE. 

breaking  school,  strictly  supervised  and  managed  by  a 
competent  man,  who  should  ha\'e  well-instructed  horsemen 
under  him. 

Young  horses  are  not  got  into  condition  by  stuffing  them 
with  oats,  nor  broken  in  by  giving  them  lots  of  exercise  and 
quickening  their  paces. 

When  the  horse  is  between  three  and  four,*  he  leaves  his 
breeder  and  is  put  into  a  stable.  I  beg  my  readers  to  note 
the  progressive  conditions  of  the  following  programme,  which 
I  propose,  for  feeding  and  work  during  the  first  three 
months. 

FIRST    iSIONTII. 

First  fortnight.  Six  litres  {$]^  quarts)  of  oats  a  day.f  2  in 
the  morning,  2  at  noon,  and  2  in  the  evening.  Leading  by  the 
hand  for  an  hour  in  the  school,  or  better  still,  in  the  open,  if 
the  weather  is  fine. 

Second  fortniglit.  Seven  litres  (6  quarts)  of  oats  ;  2  in  the 
morning,  2  at  noon,  and  3  in  the  evening.  The  same  leading 
by  hand. 

Lunge  the  horses  for  five  minutes  dail}',  half  at  the  walk,  and 
half  at  a  slow  trot. 

SECOND    MONTH. 

First  fortniglit.  Eight  litres  (7  quarts)  of  oats  ;  2  in  the 
morning,  3  at  noon,  and  3  in  the  evening. 

*  Colts  ought  to  be  cut  at  least  six  months  before  any  work  ;  at  two-and-a-half 
years  at  latest.  Horses  which  are  ridden  too  soon  after  the  operation  always 
become  weak  in  the  loins,  and  exhibit  a  characteristic  rocking  of  the  croup. 

t  I  take  for  granted  that  the  animal  has  never  eaten  oats.  If  he  has  been  fed 
on  oats,  he  can  get  at  first,  8  litres  (7  quarts)  ;  2  in  the  morning,  3  at  noon,  and 
3  in  the  evening. 

When  I  speak  of  oats,  I  mean  French  oats,  and  not  that  horrible  stufi"  which 
is  given  even  now  in  the  army,  under  the  name  of  white  Russian  oats. 


THE    ARMY    HORSE.  227 

The  time  for  leading  by  hand  can  be  increased  by  half  an 
hour. 

The  lunging  should  be  very  gradually  increased,  up  to 
making  the  horse  trot  on  each  hand  for  five  minutes  without 
stopping.  A  few  minutes'  interval  should  come  between  the 
changes  of  hand. 

Second  fortnight.  Nine  litres  (8  quarts)  of  oats;  3  in  the 
morning,  3  at  noon,  and  3  in  the  evening.  The  same  leading 
and  lunging. 

Usually,  a  horse  is  given  three  feeds  during  the  twelve 
hours  between  six  in  the  morning  and  six  in  the  evening,  and 
he  is  therefore  left  without  food  for  twelve  hours,  which  I 
think  is  a  bad  method  of  distribution.  The  first  feed  ought  to 
be  given  at  five  in  the  morning,  and  the  last  at  eight  in  the 
evening. 

THIRD   MONTH. 

First  fortnight.  Ten  litres  (8^  quarts)  of  oats  ;  3  in  the 
morning,  3  at  noon,  and  4  in  the  evening.  Twelve  litres 
10^  quarts)  of  oats  should  be  given  to  heavy  cavalry  horses. 
This  ration  and  the  same  leading  by  hand  should  be 
continued.  The  speed  of  the  trot  should  be  increased  during 
five  minutes  towards  the  end  of  the  lunging  on  each  side,  and 
the  horses  ridden  at  the  walk  in  clothing  in  a  plain  snaffle  for 
five  minutes,  the  men  having  neither  whip  nor  spurs.  The 
horses  should  be  quietly  saddled  in  the  stable,  and  loosely 
girthed  up.  At  first  the  saddles  should  be  left  on  for  only  a 
few  minutes,  and  the  time  gradually  increased. 

Second  fortnight.  The  same  work,  saddling  and  bridling  the 
horses  in  the  stable  and  putting  them  on  the  pillar  reins. 
Bridling  after  lunging,  and  direct  flexions  of  the  jaw. 
Lunging  at  the  trot  when  saddled  and  bridled,  with  the 
stirrups  hanging  down.  x'\s  lunging  at  a  canter  puts  a  horse 
too  much  on  his  shoulders,  it  should  not  be  practised  until  the 

15* 


228  THE    ARMY    HORSE. 

animal  is  broken  and  well  balanced.  No  caveson  should  be 
used  in  lunging,  only  a  snaffle  bridle,  and  any  light  rope,  a 
forage  cord,  for  instance. 

When  the  horses  are  ridden,  some  men  should  be  kept  in 
reserve  to  catch  hold  of  the  bridles  of  any  of  them  which  do 
not  want  to  follow  the  track.  This  is  not  a  matter  of 
•mouthing,  but  is  merely  to  strengthen  the  animal's  loins  and 
to  accustom  him  to  carry  a  man. 

After  the  three  months'  feeding  which  I  have  advised,  the 
horses  will  have  had  enough  corn  put  into  them  to  bear  more 
work.  As  they  have  developed  their  muscles  at  the  trot, 
learned  to  carry  a  man,  have  been  bridled  and  saddled,  and 
have  had  their  jaws  loosened  by  flexions  ;  they  are,  I  think, 
ready  for  mouthing,  which  is  well  under  way.  In  fact,  only 
the  A,  B,  C  of  breaking  is  required  from  the  troop  horse,  with- 
out any  elaboration.  It  will  be  well  if  he  needs  rather  strong 
indications,  for  we  should  take  precautions  against  heavy 
hands  and  rough  legs.  The  horse's  breaking  is  finished  when 
he  freely  goes  forward  under  the  action  of  the  legs,  while 
taking  hold  of  the  snaffle ;  and  when  he  readily  jumps,  turns, 
and  reins  back.  Here  we  require  only  horizontal  equilibrium. 
Without  doubt,  an  attempt  should  also  be  made  to  get  the 
animal  in  hand,  although  this  condition  should  not  be  insisted 
upon.  It  will  be  sufficient  if  the  rider  knows  when  to  place 
his  horse's  head  in  the  necessary  position  for  obtaining 
equilibrium. 

The  horse  should  be  accustomed  to  objects  and  noises,  so 
that  he  may  not  be  afraid  of  them.  An  army  horse  should  be 
bold  and  ready  to  pass  anything.  To  teach  him  to  do  so,  all 
sorts  of  objects  should  be  placed  under  his  feet  in  the  school. 
He  can  be  taught  best  in  the  stable,  at  the  time  of  feeding,  to 
stand  the  noise  of  tambours,  clarions,  clashing  of  arms 
firing,  etc. 

I    consider    that    three    months    will    suffice    to    properly 


THE    ARMY    HORSE.  229 

finish    this   elementary  and    special    breaking  with  any  kind 
of  horse. 

After  these  three  months  of  preparatory  work,  the  properly 
called  breaking  has  to  be  undertaken.  : 

FIRST  MONTH. 
First  fortnight.  Begin  by  lunging  the  saddled  and  bridled 
horse  at  a  trot.  Gradually  increase  the  speed,  by  means  of 
the  driving  whip,  so  as  to  make  him  get  his  hind  legs  under 
him.  Press  him  up  to  his  full  speed  for  a  few  minutes,  while 
taking  great  care  not  to  let  him  over  exert  himself;  because, 
in  that  case,  he  would  put  too  much  weight  on  his  shoulders, 
or  break  into  a  canter.  This  work  should  continue  for  five 
minutes  to  each  side. 

Ride  the  horse  quietly  at  a  walk  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour, 
so  as  to  accustom  his  back  to  the  saddle,  without  hurting  it. 

Lead  the  horse  for  ten  minutes  ;  practise  the  direct  flexion ; 
make  him  turn  on  his  forehand  ;  and  rein  him  back. 

Lead  him  for  an  hour  in  the  school  or,  preferably,  in  the 
open  if  the  weather  is  fine.* 

Second  fortnight.  Similar  lunging.  Begin  the  changes  of 
direction  by  voltes,  and  diagonal  changes  of  hand,  and  going 
down  the  centre. 

Teach  the  horse  to  yield  to  the  heel.  At  the  beginning,  be 
content  with  two  or  three  steps. 

Finish  with  work  by  the  hand. 

SECOND   MONTH. 

Lunge  at  the  trot  for  two  minutes  on  each  side.     Ride. 

Repeat  the  preceding  exercises.     Divide  the  horses  into  twos 

and    fours.     /\ccustom    them    to   cross   each   other   in   every 

direction.      Frequently    pull  them    up,    so  as  to  teach   them 

*  This  remark  applies  to  the  entire  period  of  tjreaking. 


230  THE    ARMY    HORSE. 

to  stand  quietly.  Do  at  a  slow  trot  the  same  movements 
which  had  just  been  taught  at  a  walk. 

Increase  the  number  of  side  steps  in  rotation.  Rein  back 
mounted.     Work  with  the  hand. 

Second  fortnight.  Lunge  in  a  similar  manner.  Confirm  the 
preceding  work.  Do  the  ordinary  changes  of  direction  at  the 
trot,  with  all  the  horses  in  twos  and  fours,  and  make  them 
cross  in  every  direction.  Do  the  demi-volte  and  finish  it  up 
by  a  few  side  steps.  Continue  the  work  with  the  hand,  while 
requiring  the  direct  flexion*  with  the  head  high.  Begin  the 
lateral  flexions,  side  steps  and  shoulder  in.f 

THIRD    MONTH. 

First  fortnight.  Similar  lunging.  Increase  the  speed  of  the 
trdt  in  all  the  changes  of  direction,  and  in  all  the  movements 
in  which  all  the  horses  are  working  together.  Lengthen  the 
trot  as  much  as  possible  in  a  straight  line.  "  Two  tracks," 
Begin  starting  into  the  canter  on  the  right  leg,  and  as  soon  as 
the  horse  will  do  this  readily,  make  him  lead  ofif  with  the  left  leg. 

When  the  horse  has  become  proficient  at  the  canter,  make 
him  do  at  this  pace  all  the  movements  he  has  learned  at 
the  walk  and  trot.  Increase  and  improve  the  suppling 
exercises  by  the  hand. 

At  the  end  of  the  lesson  teach  the  horses  to  jump 
(p.  195  et  seg.). 

Second  fortnight.  Similar  exercises.  Confirm  and  improve 
the  preceding  ones.  Accustom  the  horses  to  flags,  sabres,  lances, 
firearms,  explosions,  passing  through  fire,  swimming,:|:  etc. 

*  Up  to  this,  it  should  only  be  asked  for. 

t  The  shoulder  to  the  wall,  which  is  much  more  easy,  should  be  done  only 
when  mounted. 

X  What  should  a  rider  do,  when  he  is  in  water,  trying  to  cross  a  river  ? 

We  must  not  think  that  a  horse  which  is  not  accustomed  to  the  water  will 
swim  with  ease  the  moment  he  loses  his  feet.  The  only  idea  which  such  an 
animal  has,  is  to  keep  his  head  out  of  the  water  and  to  raise  his  neck  as  high  as 


THE   ARMY   HORSE. 


231 


By  this  kind  of  breaking,  which  ought  to  be  continued  for 
three  months,  the  horse  will  have  learned  enough  for  all 
cavalry  movements,  and  will  only  require  to  be  accustomed  to 
outside  work  in  the  manoeuvres,  and  to  become  hardened,  so 
as  to  be  able  to  stand  long  marches  and  bad  weather. 


Pig.  4g. — Horse  and  rider  being  drowned. 

To  recapitulate  :  The  horse  attains  three  years  of  age  in  the 
spring.  If  the  remount  authorities  buy  between  April  and 
September,  he  will  be  on  an  average  three-and-a-half  when  he 
arrives  at  the  depot,  where  he  will   get  three  months   prepa- 

possible.  Therefore,  the  croup  will  be  pushed  down,  .and  the  position  of 
the  horse  will  be  a  half -rear  ;  that  is  to  say,  he  will  be  three-quarters  upright 
(Fig  49).  This  position  will  prevent  him  from  advancing,  and  if  his  rider  is 
inexperienced,  the  chances  are  ten  to  on<;  that  both  will  be  drowned.  If  the 
rider  pulls  evei  so  little  on  the  snaffle,  or  simply  leans  back,  when  he   is   m  the 


232 


THE    ARMY    HORSE. 


ratory  work  and   three  months'  breaking.     At   four  years  he 
will  be  broken  and  perfectly  ready  for  work. 

Although  it  mav  be  said  that  this  four-year-old  work  would 
prematurely  wear   him  out,   I  assert,  and  experience   proves 


Fig.  50. — Rider  mal'^ing  his  horse  swim  according  to  INIr.  James  Fillis's  method. 

that,  under  the  conditions  I  have  laid  down,  it  will  develop 
and  strens:then  him. 


position  just  described,  the  horse's  croup  will  become  depressed  more  and  more, 
the  animal  will  become  upright,  will  turn  over  backwards,  while  beating  the 
water  with  his  fore  feet,  and  will  end  by  sinking. 

The  moment  the  horse  is  carried  off  his  feet,  the  rider  should  take  hold  of  a 
good  handful  of  the  mane,  and  bend  forward  on  the  neck;  but  he  should  on  no 
account  touch  the  head  of  the  horse.  He  should  firmly  close  his  knees,  for  if  he 
does  not  do  so,  the  water  will  instantly  separate  him  from  the  horse.  This  is  the 
only  position  which  enables  the  man  to  remain  in  the  saddle  and  the  horse  to 
swim.  The  rider  ought  to  hold  one  of  the  snaffle  reins  in  each  hand,  and  when 
he  wishes  to  change  the  direction  to  the  right  or  left,  he  should,  for  the  moment, 
bring  his  hand  away  from  the  shoulder,  so  as  to  act  on  the  animal's  mouth.  But, 
as  I  have  just  explained,  he  should,  above  all  things,  avoid  pulling  the  reins  in  a 
backward  direction  (Fig.  50). 

I  presume  that  similar  instructions  are  given  to  the  cavalry  of  all  nations. 


THE    ARMY    HORSE.  233 

In  reality,  an    army   horse  is  taken    up    when    he    is    five 
years    old,   and    a  }-ear   is    spent   at   his    breaking,  which    is 
regarded  as  imperfect  by  competent  men  ;  the  reason  being 
that  he  is  put  into  movement  before  he  is  given  equilibrium, 
which  is    the    mainspring   of  correct  and    useful    propulsion. 
This  was  the  fault  that  Baucher  found  with  old-time  equita- 
tion, which  knocked  up  horses  by  movement,  whatever  it  was. 
Its  teachers  tried  to  obtain  equilibrium,  whatever  it  might  be 
worth,  by  putting  the  horses   into   movement,   so  that  they 
mio-ht  eet  it   for  themselves.     The  actual   change   made  by 
Baucher  was  to  secure  equilibrium  at  first,  in  order  to  obtain 
from  it  correct  and  useful  movements.     The  only  fault  of  the 
great  riding  master  was  wishing  to   perfect   and  refine    this 
equilibrium,  by  rendering  it  unstable,  before  requiring  forward 
movement.     Although  I  disagree  with  him,  in  that  I  work  my 
horses  during  propulsion,  I  do  not  the  less  begin,  like  he  doeS; 
by  getting  my  horse  into  equilibrium  before  putting  him  into 
movement,  as  previously  explained.     The  difference  between 
us  is  that,  in  place  of  demanding  eff'orts  from  the  horse  while 
he  is  in  a  confined  equilibrium,  which  is  akin  to  immobility 
and  getting  behind  the  bit,  I  try  from  the  first  to  make  him 
obedient  to  the  aids  while  he  is  in  an  equilibrium  which  is 
maintained  during  propulsion.* 

Persons  who  trot  and  canter  horses  before  teaching  them 
to  start  with  their  weight  equally  distributed  on  all  four  legs, 
follow  antiquated  methods  which  spoil  the  breaking. 

We  cannot  advantageously  modify  a  horse's  equilibrium  by 
keeping  up  or  increasing  his  speed  at  fast  paces.  Such  a 
proceeding  would  accentuate  his  defects  and  would  knock  him 
up,  without  teaching  him  anything. 

The  great  majority  of  horses  are  heavy  in  {mx\\., particularly 

*  The  horse  which  is  on  his  shoulders  can  move  forward,  but  will  drag  his 
hind  legs  ;  and  he  has  no  power  of  propulsion,  which  results  from  the  hind 
legs  being  well  under  the  body,  in  which  case  the  necessary  equilibrium  is 
obtained. 


234  THE   ARMY    HORSE. 

ivJien  one  begins  to  ride  thevi.  By  making  them  go  fast^ 
without  having  previously  balanced  them,  one  succeeds  only 
in  putting  their  weight  more  and  more  forward,  and  in  pre- 
maturely spoiling  them.  Such  animals  carry  the  head  low 
and  the  neck  on  a  level  with  the  withers,  they  are  ugly,  every 
effort  in  turning  or  stopping  is  painful  to  them,  and  they 
readily  fall.  Being  able  to  place  the  head  and  neck  as  they 
like,  they  can  effectively  resist  the  aids.  In  fact  the  neck 
must  be  high  and  the  head  almost  perpendicular,  in  order  that 
the  curb  may  act  with  all  its  power. 

The  curb  loses  the  greater  part  of  its  action  on  the  bars,, 
when  the  head  is  low,  in  which  case  it  is  not  much  more  severe 
than  a  snaffle,  and  the  horse  gets  out  of  hand.  It  is  acknow- 
ledged that  a  very  large  percentage  of  troop  horses  refuse  to 
leave  the  ranks,  which  is  a  fact  that  proves  that  they  are 
badly  broken. 

A  horse  which  will  not  obey  is  not  broken.  What  a 
poor  result  is  obtained  by  a  year  or  more  of  irrational 
work  ! 

The  military  regulations  ought  to  insist  that  the  breaking 
should  be  conducted  in  such  a  manner  that  the  remounts 
would  be  fit  to  go  into  the  ranks  on  the  1st  April,  in  case  of 
mobilisation,  which  would  entail  a  breaking  of  only  three 
months'  duration.  But  in  time  of  peace  this  period  of  break- 
ing is  intentionally  prolonged  for  an  entire  year,  and  the 
remounts  are  not  sent  into  the  ranks  until  the  following  year. 
To  justify  this  practice,  it  is  alleged  that  those  regiments 
which  put  remounts  into  the  ranks  after  three  months' 
breaking,  are  those  which  use  up  most  horses.  This  may  be 
possible  ;  but  I  have  my  doubts. 

The  truth  is  that  remounts  which  are  badly  prepared  by 
insufficient  food  and  exercise,  are  prematurely  broken  down 
by  the  mere  breaking.  Rational  breaking  is,  on  the  contrary, 
much  quicker,  and  so  far  from  fatiguing  them  develops  them. 


THE   ARMY   HORSE.  235. 

and  gets  them  into  hard  condition,  which  is  a  truth  that  I 
have  demonstrated  by  incontestable  facts. 

I   imagine  that  men  would  adapt  themselves  much  more 
readily  to  the  kind  of  breaking  I  have  described  than  to  the 
violent  exercises  which  they  have  to  go  through,  and  which 
discourages    them,   because   they  do    not  know    the    reason. 
Instead  of  interesting  them  in  riding  and  inspiring  them  with 
love  for  horses,  which  should  be  the  master  feeling  of  a  rider,, 
they  are  often  made  to  suffer  through  the  horses,  and  the 
horses  through  them.     People  may  say  that  my  breaking  is 
too  elaborate.     How  is  it,  then,  that  it  is  not  found  to  be  too 
elaborate  by  Germans,  whose  dominant  quality  is  certainly 
not   elaboration  ?     Why    do    they   work   troop    horses    indi- 
vidually much  more  than  they  do  in  France  ?     Why  do  they 
begin  by    balancing    them  ?      Why    do    they    adopt    rational 
breaking,  instead  of  knocking  up  their  horses  ?     Why  do  their 
horses  last  for  a  long  time  ?     Alas  !  the  reason  for  this  is  that 
they  have  profited  by  the  teaching  which  has  come  to  them 
from  France  ;  but  in  this  classic  country  of  riding  we  are  kept 
back  by  routine. 


236 


CHAPTER   VIII. 
HIGH-SCHOOL   RIDING. 


The  Spanish  walk — Reversed  pirouette  on  three  legs — Reversed  and  ordinary 
pirouettes  with  the  feet  crossed — Reining  back  without  reins — Rocking  the 
forehand — Rocking  the  haunches — Spanish  trot— Shoulder-in  at  the  canter — 
Pirouettes  at  the  canter — Changes  of  leg  at  each  stride — Changes  of  leg 
without  gaining  ground — Piaffers  and  passages — ^Differences  between  the 
passage  and  Spanish  trot — Serpentine  at  the  Trot — Canter  on  three  legs — 
Passage  to  the  rear — ^See-saw  piaffer — Canter  without  gaining  ground 
and  canter  to  the  rear — New  school  movements — School  horse  for  ladies. 


The  exercises  which  we  are  going  to  consider  are  the  sequel 
and  perfected  product  of  those  which  have  been  described. 
These  high-school  exercises,  as,  for  instance,  the  Spanish  trot, 
are  more  difficult,  less  used,  and  are  artificial ;  but  the  others, 
like  the  canter,  are  natural. 

I  have  often  heard  it  said  that  high-school  work  ruins  horses 
and  prematurely  makes  them  unsound. 

It  is  constantly  said  :  "  How  is  it  possible  for  an  animal  to 
do  such  severe  work  without  knocking  himself  to  pieces  ?  " 
The  answer  is  very  simple :  Professional  gymnasts  also  go 
through  extremely  severe  exertion.  Are  they  in  bad  condi- 
tion ?  Are  their  arms,  legs  and  shoulders  spoiled  ?  On  the 
contrary,  they  are  in  a  state  of  grand  condition  which  distin- 
guishes them  from  everyone  else.  Their  muscles  stand  out 
and  are  as  hard  as  steel,  and  their  general  health  is  perfect. 
No    doubt,  if  they    began  their   work  abruptly — I   speak  of 


THE    SPANISH    WALK.  237 

horses  as  well  as  of  men — they  would  not  be  able  to  stand  it, 
and  would  break  down.  But  if  the  effort  required  for  the 
gradual  exercises  is  proportionate  to  the  increase  of  muscular 
power,  the  work — no  matter  how  severe  it  may  be — will  be 
comparatively  easy,  and  even  healthy,* 

It  is  true  that  many  horses  have  been  ruined  by  high-school 
work  ;  but  only  because  the  work  was  badly  carried  out,  or 
because  the  preliminary  training  was  insufficient.  Riding, 
like  other  sciences,  has  its  charlatans  and  its  empirics.  When 
a  horse  has  been  methodically  broken,  the  practice  of  all  the 
exercises  through  which  he  has  gone,  so  far  from  ruining  him, 
will  only  strengthen  him. 

With  respect  to  horsemen  who  turn  up  their  noses  at  high- 
school  riding,  and  speak  of  it  with  contempt,  I  content  myself 
with  reminding  them  of  the  fable  of  the  fox  and  the  grapes. 

THE   SPANISH   WALK. 

A  horse  is  said  to  do  the  Spanish  walk,*|-  when  he  raises  his 
fore  legs  one  after  another,  by  carrying  them  forward  and  ex- 
tending them. 

The  principal  thing  to  observe  is  the  way  in  which  a  horse 
puts  his  foot  on  the  ground  ;  for  although  it  is  easy  to  make 
him  raise  his  legs,  it  is  very  difficult  to  make  him  put  them 
down  properly. 

The  breaker  ought  to  begin  this  work  on  foot,  while  standing 
at  the  left  shoulder  of  the  horse  and  on  the  left  track,  in  which 

*  My  horses  never  get  even  the  slightest  blemish  from  my  breaking,  although 
I  begin  to  break  them  much  earlier  than  any  of  my  predecessors  have  done. 

t  It  has  never  been  known  why  this  movement  is  called  the  Spanish  walk. 
There  is  nothing  Spanish  in  it,  except  the  name,  and  it  by  no  means  resembles 
the  walk  of  the  Andalusian  animal.  When  the  Spanish  horse  walks,  he  bends 
his  knees  and  brings  the  lower  part  of  the  legs  inwards,  which  peculiarity  is 
called  el pasode  campafia  (the  walk  of  the  bell)  on  the  other  side  of  the  Pyrennees. 
It  would  be  more  appropriately  termed  the  "recruits'  balance  step,"  because 
there  is  a  great  similarity  between  the  two. 


238  HIGH-SCHOOL   RIDING. 

-case  the  wall  will  prevent  him  escaping  to  the  right.  He 
should  hold  the  head  of  the  animal  rather  high,  while  pushing 
him  to  the  right,  in  order  to  throw  the  greater  part  of  the 
weight  of  the  forehand  on  the  right  foreleg,  and  thus  to  allow 
the  left  leg  to  be  easily  raised. 

He  should  then  very  lightly  touch  the  left  fore  leg  of  the 
.horse  with  the  end  of  the  cutting  whip  ;  but  it  is  somewhat 
difficult  to  determine  the  exact  spot  where  the  leg  should  be 
touched.  The  sensitive  spot,  which  varies  in  each  horse,  lies 
somewhere  between  the  elbow  and  the  pastern. 

The  horse's  first  impression  is  one  of  surprise,  because  he 
does  not  understand  what  is  required  of  him,  and  he  generally 
tries  to  escape.  Nevertheless,  he  cannot  go  to  the  right,  on 
account  of  the  wall,  and  if  he  swerves  to  the  left,  he  ought  at 
once  be  straightened  by  the  whip.  If  he  runs  back,  the 
breaker  ought  to  immediately  bring  him  forward  by  touching 
him  with  the  whip  behind  the  girths.  After  a  moment,  he 
almost  always  shows  his  impatience,  by  pawing  the  ground  with 
the  leg  which  has  been  touched.  As  soon  as  he  raises  this  leg, 
he  ought  to  be  patted  on  the  neck,  in  order  to  make  him  under- 
stand that  he  has  done  what  was  required.  After  repeating 
this  exercise  for  several  days,  the  horse,  in  order  to  avoid  being 
touched,  raises  his  leg  the  moment  he  sees  the  whip  approaching 
it.  When  he  well  understands,  and  does  this  work  with  the 
left  leg,  the  right  leg  should  be  submitted  to  the  same  practice, 
by  placing  him  to  the  right  hand,  and  taking  care  to  raise  his 
head  and  carry  it  to  the  left. 

As  the  repeated  touching  of  the  whip  irritates  a  horse,  we 
should  at  first  be  satisfied  with  the  slightest  sign  of  obedience, 
and  will  thus  take  the  best  means  of  not  disgusting  the  animal. 
He  will  usually  raise  his  legs  during  the  first  lesson  ;  but  the 
way  in  which  he  raises  them  will  be  far  from  satisfactory, 
because  he  does  not  extend  them,  and  contents  himself  by 
making  impatient  movements,  pawing  the  ground,  etc.     Never- 


THE    SPANISH    WALK.  239 

theless,  as  I  have  just  said,  we  ought  to  be  satisfied,  at  the 
beginning,  by  the  semblance  which  he  makes  of  raising  his 
legs.  It  would  be  wrong  to  insist,  or  even  to  strike  the  animal, 
when  we  can  do  nothing  with  him,  beyond  astonishing  him. 

Nevertheless  we  should  gradually  obtain  the  extension  of 
the  legs,  which  will  not  be  satisfactory,  unless  the  legs  are 
completely  and  horizontally  extended  at  the  height  of  the 
shoulders.  In  my  opinion,  it  cannot  be  said  that  a  horse  does 
the  Spanish  walk,  unless  this  height  and  extension  are 
obtained. 

x'\s  soon  as  the  horse  understands  what  he  is  required  to  do, 
and  performs  it  correctly,  that  is  to  say,  when  he  fully  extends 
his  legs  horizontally,  he  ought  to  be  taught  to  place  them  on 
the  ground  without  the  slightest  bending  of  the  knees,  which 
is  the  most  important  condition  in  this  movement.  To  succeed 
in  this,  we  should,  as  soon  as  the  legs  are  fully  extended,  draw 
the  horse  forward  by  the  snaffle,  so  that  he  will  place  the  foot 
well  in  front,  the  leg  remaining  straight  until  the  foot  touches 
the  ground.  If  he  bends  the  knee,  he  can  take  only  a  short 
step  ;  and,  besides,  as  the  knees  will  be  bent  unequally,  the 
steps  will  not  be  of  the  same  length.  Finally,  if  the  horse  is 
allowed  to  bend  his  knees,  it  will  be  impossible  to  prevent  him 
pawing  the  ground,  which  would  necessarily  make  the  steps 
unequal.  We  should  therefore  take  the  greatest  care  to  have 
the  leg  perfectly  straight,  until  the  foot  touches  the  ground. 
When  the  legs  are  thus  extended,  the  steps  cannot  fail  to  be 
equal  in  length. 

As  soon  as  we  get  the  horse  to  take  one  correct  step  with 
each  leg,  we  should  not  continue  this  work  on  foot,  although 
the  progress  would  certainly  be  more  rapid. 

The  Spanish  walk  is  much  more  graceful,  brilliant  and 
regular,  if  the  breaker  teaches  it  when  he  is  in  the  saddle.  In 
fact,  when  he  is  on  foot,  he  has  to  draw  the  horse  forward, 
and  he  cannot  then  get  the  animal   in  hand,  because  the  for- 


240  HIGH-SCHOOL   RIDING. 

ward  pull  causes  the  neck  to  be  straightened.  The  head  is 
consequently  placed  in  a  wrong  and  ungraceful  position. 

Instead  of  pulling  the  horse  forward,  it  is  far  better  to  press 
him  up  with  the  legs.  Therefore  we  can  teach  the  Spanish 
walk  only  when  mounted. 

Having  obtained  the  first  two  steps  on  foot,  we  should  mount, 
and  try  to  do  the  work  I  have  just  explained. 

My  plan  is  as  follows  :  I  hold  the  curb  reins  and  the  left  rein 
of  the  snaffle  in  my  left  hand,  and  the  right  rein  of  the  snaffle 
and  the  whip  in  my  right  hand. 

Having  stopped  the  horse,  I  take  a  sufficient  hold  of  the 
snaffle  to  keep  the  head  and  neck  high,  and  being  on  the  left 
hand,  I  try  to  get  the  first  step  with  the  right  leg.  Having 
the  wall  on  my  right,  I  am  certain  that  the  horse  cannot  place 
himself  sideways  when  I  try  with  my  left  leg,  to  make  him 
raise  his  right  leg ;  but  if  I  were  to  try  to  make  him  raise  his 
left  leg,  my  right  leg  would   force  his  croup  round  to  the  left. 

I  carry  my  hands  to  the  left,  and  I  strongly  close  my  left 
leg,  which  is  helped  later  on  by  the  spur. 

The  right  rein  of  the  snaffle  is  drawn  tighter  than  the  left 
rein,  and  both  legs  are  kept  close  to  the  girths,  so  as  to  prevent 
the  horse  reining  back ;  the  left  leg  having  a  much  stronger 
pressure  than  the  right.  The  effect  of  the  reins  is  to  put 
almost  all  the  weight  of  the  forehand  on  the  left  shoulder. 
The  left  leg  of  the  rider  should  now  make  the  horse  raise  his 
right  leg,  for  which  object,  having  the  whip  pointed  downwards, 
I  lightly  touch  him  several  times  on  the  right  shoulder, 
while  continuing  to  keep  up  his  head  with  the  right  snaffle 
rein. 

Being  ignorant  of  what  I  want  him  to  do,  the  horse  will 
always  become  impatient ;  therefore,  we  should  make  our 
demands  on  him  in  a  very  gentle  manner.  Nevertheless,  we 
should  keep  on  at  him  until  he  raises  his  leg.  As  soon  as  he 
makes  the  slightest  movement  with    his  right  leg,  we  should 


THE   SPANISH    WALK.  241 

stop  and  pat  him  on  the  neck,  and  walk  him  round  the  school 
before  recommencing. 

In  a  week,  the  horse  will  extend  both  legs.  It  goes  without 
saying  that  I  do  similar  work  with  his  left  leg,  but  in  a 
reversed  way. 

From  this  period,  I  combine  the  respective  actions  of  my  legs 
and  whip,  and  in  proportion  as  I  obtain  the  desired  effect,  I 
diminish  the  action  of  the  whip,  and  increase  that  of  the  legs, 
until  I  obtain  obedience  solely  by  the  legs. 

After  the  horse  answers  to  the  indications  of  the  legs,  and,  if 
need  be,  to  those  of  the  spurs,  by  complete  extension,  I  drop 
the  whip,  and  it  is  then  easy  for  me  to  press  him  up  to  the 
bridle,  which  it  would  be  impossible  for  me  to  do  on  foot. 

I  shall  now  describe  in  detail  the  action  of  the  "aids"  during 
the  entire  movement  :  the  action  of  the  left  leg  and  right  rein 
makes  the  horse  raise  his  right  leg.  At  the  moment  he  is 
about  to  place  it  on  the  ground,  I  press  him  forward  with  both 
legs,  the  action  of  which  performs  the  double  office  of  keeping 
him  straight  and  of  obliging  him  to  put  down  his  right  leg, 
completely  extended,  and  in  front  of  his  left  leg.  I  keep  an 
equal  feeling  on  both  reins  during  the  forward  step,  up  to  the 
time  he  places  his  foot  on  the  ground.  Then  my  right  leg 
and  left  rein,  in  their  turn,  make  him  raise  the  left  leg.  The 
connection  between  one  step  and  the  next  one  should  be  made 
in  this  manner,  and  it  should  be  done  with  great  care,  so  as  to 
obtain  perfect  regularity  of  movement.  We  have  then  had 
recourse,  as  we  should  always  do,  to  a  diagonal  effect. 

The  Spanish  walk  can  also  be  practised  when  reining  back, 
in  which  case  the  reins  draw  the  animal  back,  the  moment  the 
extension  of  the  leg  is  obtained.  The  difficulty  in  this  back- 
ward movement  is  to  prevent  the  hind  quarters  from  turning 
to  the  right  or  left,  each  time  we  bring  the  leg  which  is  in  the 
air,  back  in  rear  of  the  one  which  is  on  the  ground. 

It  often  happens  that  the  horse,  by  going  back  too  quickly, 

16 


242  HIGH-SCHOOL   RIDING. 

gets  out  of  hand,  and  only  about  half  extends  his  fore  legs. 
In  this  case  we  should  always  recommence  the  work  by 
sending  him  forward  and  requiring  a  complete  extension. 

We  must  not  think  that  we  are  always  certain  to  succeed 
even  by  exactly  following  the  directions  I  have  given.  It 
depends  on  the  intelligence  of  the  rider  to  use  all  the  means 
in  his  power  to  make  the  horse  understand  what  is  required  of 
him.  This  is  a  question  of  tact.  Besides,  when  a  riding 
master  breaks  his  first  horse  he  is  not  sure  of  himself,  and  he 
is,  therefore,  obliged  to  feel  his  way.  Only  after  breaking 
three  or  four  horses,  he  will  be  able  to  tell  if  he  has  done  well 
or  if  he  has  failed. 

A  horse  ought  not  to  be  asked  to  do  the  Spanish  walk 
unless  he  is  very  supple,  and,  above  all  things,  unless  he  is 
perfectly  obedient  to  the  aids.  In  fact,  we  should  be  always 
certain  of  making  him  go  forward.  But  in  this  work  we 
require  him  to  stand  the  spur  without  hardly  going  forward. 

As  we  are  obliged  to  have  the  hands  high  in  order  to  raise 
the  neck,  we  thus  throw  a  great  portion  of  the  weight  on  the 
hind  quarters,  and  consequently  risk  making  the  animal  get 
behind  his  bit.  It  may  thus  happen  that  instead  of  raising 
one  fore  leg,  he  will,  by  raising  two,  make  a  half-rear,  which  is 
not  a  formidable  defence,  because  it  is  a  forward  movement, 
Or  he  may  rear,  which  is  more  dangerous,  especially  if  the 
reins  are  pulled.  It  frequently  happens  in  breaking,  that  in 
order  to  make  the  horse  go  forward,  we  are  obliged,  for  a  time, 
to  give  up  the  attempt  of  obtaining  a  movement  which  we 
are  teaching.  If  we  sometimes  tolerate,  even  a  little,  a 
tendency  on  the  part  of  the  horse  to  get  behind  his  bit,  we 
will  soon  be  powerless  to  make  him  go  forward.  He  will 
quickly  understand  that  he  can  get  out  of  hand  by  getting 
behind  his  bit,  to  which  expedient  he  will  continually  have 
recourse. 

All  stationary  work,  the  object  of  which   is  to  teach  the 


THE   SPANISH   WALK.  243 

horse  to  bear  the  touch  of  the  spurs  without  hardly  advancing, 
is  always  dangerous.  It  often  makes  a  horse  restive,  in  which 
case  the  method  is  almost  always  blamed,  although  it  would 
be  safer  to  blame  the  manner  of  its  application.  Besides,  it 
is  also  difficult  for  a  riding  master  who  is  breaking  his  first 
horse  or  his  first  horses,  to  avoid  making  them  get  behind 
their  bit.  Very  often  a  horse  has  this  tendency  without  the 
breaker  perceiving  it.  As  a  general  rule,  if  a  horse  does  not 
go  up  to  his  bridle,  he  has  this  fault.  Hence  my  motto  is 
"  forward,  always  forward,  and  again  forward  !  " 

I  admit  that  we  can  never  obtain  a  concession  from  a  horse 
without  a  more  or  less  lively  struggle,  but  we  must  not  forget 
that  a  man's  authority  over  a  horse  is  dependent  on  this 
struggle.*  If  we  require  a  difficult  thing  from  a  horse 
without  having  prepared  him  sufficiently,  not  only  will  there 
be  a  struggle,  but — which  is  a  much  more  serious  thing — the 
horse  will  win.  We  should,  therefore,  know  the  precise 
instant  when  each  demand  can  be  made.  This  is  a  question 
of  tact. 

If  we  put  a  horse  to  some  work  for  w^iich  he  has  been 
badly  prepared,  we  may  be  certain  that  we  shall  not  be 
successful.  Without  a  proper  preparation  the  horse  will 
certainly  resist. 

The  same  work  can  be  demanded  later  on  without  any 
trouble.  It  is  better  to  try  to  break  a  horse  in  a  year  than  in 
six  months.  The  more  difficult  a  horse  is,  the  more  time 
should  be  devoted  to  his  education.  If  it  is  necessary,  we 
may  take  six  months  to  balance  him  well  in  his  three  natural 
paces,  and  to  make  him  to  rein  back  correctly  before  teaching 
him  high-school  work  and  artificial  movements. 

I  would  attach  no  importance  to  the  Spanish  walk,  if  I  were 

*  It  is  well  to  note  that  after  each  stormy  lesson,  if  the  man  is  the  victor,  the 
horse's  docility  will  be  well  marked  in  the  following  lessons.  There  is  no 
exception  to  this  rule. 

16* 


244  HIGH-SCHOOL   RIDING. 

not  obliged  to  teach  it  to  the  horse,  in  order,  later  on,  to 
complete  his  high  school  education  by  pirouettes  on  three 
legs,  the  Spanish  trot,  and  the  canter  on  three  legs.  For 
this,  it  is  of  the  utmost  necessit}-  that  the  breaker  can 
obtain,  at  ^\'ill,  extension  of  the  legs,  and  especially  by 
the  spurs,  which  is  the  onl)-  means  of  keeping  a  horse  in 
equilibrium,  of  teaching  him  to  go  up  to  his  bit,  and  of 
making  him  hold  his  legs  as  high  and  as  extended  as  he 
ought  to  do. 

There  is,  alas !  another  way  for  teaching  a  horse  the 
Spanish  walk,  and  I  hasten  to  sa)'  that  I  never  use  this 
method  of  which  I  am  obliged  to  speak,  because  it  is  greatly 
in  vogue  among  the  new  school.  By  this  term  I  designate 
the  riding  masters  who  have  sprung  up  since  the  death  of 
Baucher,  and  who  have  substituted  for  the  school  movements 
he  executed  most  brilliantl}',  a  series  of  strange  contortions 
obtained  by  a  host  of  accessories,  the  employment  of  which 
necessitates  the  assistance  of  a  large  number  of  men. 

To  teach  the  Spanish  walk  according  to  the  method  of  the 
new  school,  it  is  necessary  to  employ  an  entire  squad  of 
breakers — four  privates  and  a  corporal  :  never  less,  and  often 
more. 

They  begin  by  placing  on  each  fore  leg  a  hobble,  to  which  is 
attached  a  cord,  each  cord  being  held  by  a  man.  A  third 
person  holds  the  bridle  and  a  cutting  whip.  The  corporal 
mounts  the  animal,  and  a  fifth  tormenter  has  the  noble  mission 
of  flourishing  a  driving  whip.  We  will  now  see  the  collective 
operations  wdiich  the  squad  performs  on  the  unfortunate 
animal. 

No.  3,  who  has  the  cutting  whip,  taps  the  left  leg  of  the 
horse  with  it.  No.  i,  who  holds  the  cord  of  that  leg,  pulls  the 
leg  straight,  and  the  corporal,  who  is  on  the  back  of  the 
animal,  presses  his  right  leg  against  the  horse's  side  so  as  to 
accustom  him  to  extend  his  leg  on  being  touched  by  the  spur. 


REVERSED  PIROUETTE  ON  THREE  LEGS.     245 

At  the  same  moment  No.  5,  who  wields  the  driving  whip, 
touches  the  horse  on  the  croup  to  make  him  go  forward. 

Thus,  a  step  with  the  left  leg  is  obtained.  No.  2,  who  holds 
the  cord  of  the  hobble,  which  is  on  the  pastern  of  the  right 
leg,  comes  on  the  scene  only  when  the  squad  proceeds  to 
manipulate  the  right  leg  in  the  way  I  have  just  described  for 
the  left  leg.  This  double  manoeuvre  continues  until  the  horse 
has  learned  the  Spanish  walk. 

This  is  a  case  which  demands  the  intervention  of  the 
S.P.C.A.  I  am  at  a  loss  for  a  word  to  express  this  kind  of 
proceeding.  It  is  certainly  not  breaking,  and  has  nothing  in 
common  with  horsemanship. 

REVERSED    PIROUETTE   ON    THREE   LEGS. 

The  reversed  pirouette  on  three  legs,  the  fourth  being  held 
in  the  air,  during  the  rotation  of  the  croup  round  the  shoulders, 
is  the  easiest  movement  to  teach  the  horse,  of  course  supposing 
that  he  is  well  balanced  ;  because  it  is  an  affair  of  uniting,  in  a 
single  movement,  the  rotation  of  the  croup  and  the  extension 
of  the  legs. 

Having  ridden  the  horse  into  the  middle  of  the  school,  we 
make  him  take  a  few  steps  in  the  rotation  of  his  croup,  while 
stopping  him  at  every  three  or  four  steps  to  make  him  extend 
his  leg. 

As  we  use  the  same  leg  for  both  movements  it  ought  to  be 
kept  close  to  the  girths,  the  other  leg  being  the  one  which 
stops  the  rotation.  For  example,  in  the  rotation  of  the  croup 
round  the  shoulders  from  left  to  right,  my  left  leg  prompts  the 
rotation  of  the  croup,  and  also  the  extension  of  the  horse's 
right  leg.  When  the  horse  has  described  about  a  quarter  of 
the  circle  of  rotation,  I  stop  him  by  the  pressure  of  my  right 
leg,  and  I  touch  him  with  the  left  spur,  which  I  keep  close  to 
the  girths,  while  at  the  same  time  I  lightly  feel  the  right  rein  of 
the  snaffle,  so  as  to  oblige  the  animal  to  extend  his  right  leg. 


246  HIGH-SCHOOL   RIDING. 

By  frequent  repetition  we  can  soon  make  a  horse  take  a 
step  or  two  in  the  rotation  of  his  croup,  without  putting  his 
right  fore  on  the  ground,  and  Httle  by  httle  we  can  make 
him  do  the  complete  pirouette  in  this  manner.  We  ought, 
during  the  entire  time,  to  maintain  a  fairly  strong  pressure  of 
the  opposite  leg,  so  as  to  keep  the  horse  up  to  his  bridle  and 
prevent  him  getting  behind  his  bit.  To  be  in  a  good  position, 
the  horse  should  have  his  head  and  neck  high,  and  his  neck 
slightly  bent  to  the  right.  The  action  of  the  right  snaffle  rein 
is  necessary  to  make  this  bend,  and  to  help  in  keeping  the 
right  leg  in  the  air. 

We  use  the  reversed  means  to  obtain  the  pirouette  from 
right  to  left,  with  extension  of  the  left  leg. 

The  difficulty  is  to  keep  the  right  leg  extended  ;  the  equi- 
librium on  the  three  legs  being  sufficiently  secure  to  allow  the 
horse  to  maintain  this  position,  and  to  move  his  hind  quarters 
round  the  left  fore  foot,  which  forms  a  pivot  and  does  not 
shift  out  of  its  place. 

In  the  pirouette  from  left  to  right,  we  should  carr}-  the 
hands  to  the  left,  while  lightl}'  feeling  the  right  reins,  so  as  to 
put  the  weight  of  the  forehand  on  the  left  shoulder.  In  the 
pirouette  from  right  to  left,  the  right  foot  is  the  pivot,  and 
consequently  we  should  carry  the  hands  to  the  right,  and  feel 
the  left  reins,  so  that  the  right  leg,  in  its  turn,  will  bear  the 
weight  of  the  forehand,  and  thus  allow  the  left  leg  to  be 
raised. 

REVERSED   AND   ORDINARY    PIROUETTES   WITH 
THE   FEET   CROSSED. 

The  reversed  pirouette  with  the  fore  feet  crossed  is  done 
in  the  same  manner  as  the  reversed  pirouette  on  three  legs, 
except  that  the  fore  legs,  instead  of  being  successively  ex- 
tended in  the  air,  rest  on  the  ground,  and  become  crossed 
while  the  horse  turns. 


REINING   BACK   WITHOUT   REINS.  247 

In  the  ordinary  pirouette  with  the  feet  crossed,  the  forehand 
turns,  and  the  hind  feet  become  crossed.  The  former  is  very 
simple,  and  the  latter  very  difficult. 

REINING   BACK   WITHOUT    REINS. 

This  movement  is  not  very  difficult  to  teach  ;  but  it  is  not 
without  annoyance  to  the  horse  and  danger  to  the  rider, 
because  the  legs  and  spurs  are  the  only  agents  employed  to 
make  the  animal  go  back,  with  the  consequent  risk  of  putting 
him  behind  his  bit  or  making  him  rear. 

I  would  not  advise  young  and  inexperienced  breakers  to  try 
this  exercise  before  they  have  broken  several  horses.  Until 
they  have  done  so,  they  will  not  be  able  to  exercise  the 
necessary  judgment. 

We  may  safely  try  it  on  impetuous  horses,  which  are  always 
ready  to  go  forward  ;  but  it  would  be  a  mistake  to  teach  a 
soft  or  sluggish  animal,  because  the  vigorous  use  of  the  legs 
is  the  only  way  to  make  him  go  up  to  his  bridle.  In  any 
case,  we  ought  not  to  teach  it  to  a  horse  without  being  certain 
that  he  will  not  take  advantage  of  the  instruction,  by  reining 
back  in  opposition  to  the  wishes  of  his  rider  ;  in  other  words, 
by  becoming  restive.  Therefore,  I  do  not  begin  this  exercise 
until  the  horse  is  perfectly  obedient,  and,  especially,  until  I 
am  sure  of  being  able  to  make  him  go  forward  under  all 
circumstances. 

In  teaching  it,  I  begin  in  the  same  way  as  I  have  described 
for  the  rein  back  (p.  119^/  seq^,  namely,  I  employ  both  legs  and 
hands.  By  degrees  I  diminish  the  action  of  the  reins,  while 
indicating  to  the  horse  by  means  of  the  legs,  which  is  the 
great  difficulty,  that  the  hind  quarters  should  begin  the  move- 
ment. It  is  necessary  in  some  sort  of  a  way  that  the  horse 
should  be  pulled  back  by  our  thighs  and  seat,  and  that  he 
receives  a  backward  propulsion  from  his  forehand. 

At  first,   I  encounter  some  hesitation   on   the   part   of  the 


248  HIGH-SCHOOL   RIDING. 

horse,  which  is  all  the  greater  because  up  to  this  time  I  have 
always  trained  him  to  go  forward  at  the  slightest  pressure  of 
the  legs.  We  should  keep  him  as  quiet  as  possible  and 
not  insist  too  strongly,  because  the  less  a  horse  understands 
what  is  required  of  him,  the  more  irritable  does  he  become. 
We  ought  to  be  content  with  two  or  three  steps  to  the 
rear,  and  immediately  he  has  taken  them,  we  should  make 
him  take  the  same  number  of  steps  forward,  by  relaxing  the 
pressure  of  the  thighs,  and  by  touching  him  with  the  heel  or 
spur.  We  should,  above  all  things,  avoid  letting  him  rein, 
back  quicker  than  we  wish  him  to  do. 

I  sum  up  by  saying  that  at  first  I  close  the  legs  and  feel  the 
reins  sufficiently  to  bring  about  the  rein  back.  Having 
obtained  the  retrograde  movement,  I  hasten  to  pat  the  horse 
on  the  neck,  and  I  repeat  the  work,  while  each  time  increasing 
the  pressure  of  the  legs,  and  diminishing  the  tension  of  the 
reins.  Finally,  when  the  horse  has  learned,  little  by  little,  what 
is  required  of  him,  I  leave  go  the  reins. 

ROCKING   THE   FOREHAND. 

In  rocking  the  forehand,  the  horse  raises  his  fore  legs- 
successively,  without  extending  them,  and  rocks  his  forehand 
from  one  leg  to  the  other,  while  separating  them  as  widely  as. 
possible  from  each  other,  at  the  moment  when  they  touch 
the  ground. 

Having  taught  the  horse  to  extend  his  legs  as  already 
described,  it  is  easy  by  this  means  to  make  him  balance  the 
forehand.  With  this  object,  his  head  and  neck  should  not  be 
raised  too  high,  and  his  legs  should  only  be  half  straightened,. 
which  I  get  him  to  do  in  the  following  way.  The  horse  being 
halted,  I  make  him  raise  the  right  fore,  as  if  to  extend  it,  but 
as  soon  as  he  raises  it,  and  before  he  has  completely  extended 
it,  I  carry  my  hands  to  the  right,  and,  consequently,  all  the 
weight  of  the  forehand  which  was  on  the  left  leg  is  suddenly 


ROCKING   THE    HAUNCHES.  249 

transferred  to  the  right  leg,  and  the  horse  naturally  comes  down 
on  that  side,  while  separating  the  right  leg  from  the  left. 

Having  obtained  this  first  step,  I  demand  a  second  one  from 
the  left  leg,  by  employing  similar  means.  I  have  then  one 
time  for  one  leg,  and  another  time  for  the  other  leg,  and  to 
connect  them  I  have  got  only  to*  bring  them  together  and  to 
put  them  into  harmony.  The  separation  of  the  legs  will 
naturally  be  in  proportion  to  the  action  of  the  hands. 

The  action  of  the  legs  of  the  rider  is  the  same  as  that  for 
the  extension  of  the  animal's  legs,  but  it  ought  to  be  simul- 
taneous on  both  sides,  so  as  to  prevent  the  rocking  of  the 
croup. 

In  a  short  time  we  will  obtain  the  alternate  rocking  of  the 
forehand  to  the  right  and  to  the  left. 

We  ought  not  to  require  a  great  separation  of  the  fore  legs 
until  the  rocking  is  very  regular.  The  wider  the  separation, 
the  slower,  softer  and  more  graceful  is  the  movement.  We 
can  easily  succeed  in  getting  a  separation  of  forty  inches,  and 
sometimes  of  five  feet. 

The  rocking  of  the  forehand  is  made  on  one  spot,  and  it  can 
also  be  made  while  advancing,  in  which  case  it  is  more  grace- 
ful, and  has  the  advantage  of  not  prompting  a  horse  to  get 
behind  his  bit ;  but  it  is  much  more  difficult,  because  we  must 
add  forward  propulsion  to  the  other  actions  I  have  just 
described. 

ROCKING   THE   HAUNCHES. 

This  movement  requires  more  tact,  as  regards  the  seat,  than 
the  preceding  one.  To  obtain  it  we  should  feel  the  reins  very 
lightly,  and  should  make  the  horse  take  a  light  bearing  on 
the  snaffle  while  pressing  him  down,  so  as  to  carry  his  weight 
on  his  shoulders.  As  the  haunches  become  lightened,  their 
mobility  will  be  increased. 

We  should  take  care  to  keep  the  horse  stationary  and  very 


250  HIGH-SCHOOL   RIDING. 

quiet  ;  for  we  are  going  to  require  from  him  two  times,  one 
after  the  other ;  because  one  time  will  not  be  a  school  move- 
ment, and  will  not  give  him  any  indication. 

I  exert  a  very  light  pressure  of  the  right  leg,  which  causes 
the  horse  to  raise  his  right  hind  leg,  as  if  to  make  a  side  step  to 
the  left,  but  at  the  moment  this  leg  comes  close  to  the  left  hind, 
and  before  it  is  placed  on  the  ground,  a  pressure  of  my  left  leg 
pushes  it  back  into  its  place,  and  at  the  same  time  makes  the 
horse  raise  his  left  hind,  which  he  places  by  the  side  of  the 
right  hind,  as  if  he  were  taking  a  side  step  to  the  right. 

If  the  rider  does  not  catch  with  precision  the  moment  when 
the  horse  is  going  to  put  down  his  right  leg,  this  leg  will  touch 
the  ground  without  the  rider  having  pushed  it  back  to  the 
right  by  the  action  of  his  left  leg.  Under  these  conditions,  the 
right  leg  of  the  horse  will  be  placed  quite  close  to  his  left  leg, 
•and  they  will  not  be  sufficiently  separated  for  him  to  make  a 
small  rocking  movement. 

The  rider  should  be  content  with  these  two  first  steps  until 
the  horse  does  them  very  steadily,  and  then  he  should  demand 
them  the  reverse  way,  namely,  from  left  to  right.  He  should 
wait  until  later  on  to  do  four,  and  should  increase  the  number 
gradually.  I  recommend  the  breaker  not  to  try  to  obtain  a 
-great  separation  of  the  feet  before  the  horse  rocks  in  a  very 
regular  manner. 

The  spur  has  to  be  used,  in  order  to  obtain  as  great  a  sepa- 
ration as  possible,  so  to  give  more  vigour  to  the  movement. 

When  rocking  the  haunches,  the  horse  has  a  natural  tendency 
to  carry  his  head  low,  which  at  first  I  allow  him  to  do  to  a 
-certain  extent,  because  he  will  thus  lighten  the  hind  quarters. 
As  soon  as  he  knows  the  work,  I  make  him  hold  his  head 
in  the  position  which  a  school  horse  should  always  do.* 

*  With  the  head  low  a  horse  is  never  graceful  and  light.  All  horses  which 
are  broken  by  means  of  the  cutting  whip  adopt  the  faulty  position  of  having  the 
croup  high,  the  reason  being  that  by  striking  the  croup  with  the  cutting  whip,  we 


SPANISH    TROT.  251 

By  increasing  the  pressure  of  the  legs,  and  accentuating  it  a 
httle  by  a  touch  of  the  spurs,  we  can  easily  obtain  a  small 
piaffcr  (p.  275)  of  the  forehand,  which  accompanies  the  rocking 
of  the  haunches. 

If  we  press  the  horse  forward,  while  making  him  take  very 
short  steps,  we  will  obtain  rocking  of  the  haunches  with 
passage  (p.  275)  of  the  forehand. 

The  movement  is  less  graceful  when  done  without  gaining 
ground,  than  when  going  forward,  because  there  is  a  want  of 
propulsion,  and  it  is  less  easy  to  keep  the  neck  high.  Finally, 
as  it  is  necessary  to  obtain  a  certain  elevation  of  all  the  legs, 
we  should  avoid  putting  more  weight  in  front  than  behind. 
On  the  contrary,  we  should  carefully  try  to  keep  him  in 
■equilibrium.* 

SPANISH   TROT. 

Of  all  artificial  movements,  the  Spanish  trot  is  the  easiest 
and  most  brilliant.  With  a  horse  which  knows  the  Spanish 
walk  perfectly,  nothing  is  easier  than  to  make  him  do  it  at 
the  trot. 

It  is  enough  to  increase  the  action  of  the  "  aids  "  to  give  a 
horse  more  energy.  At  first  we  ride  the  horse  at  the  Spanish 
w^alk,  and  when  we  have  gone  a  few  steps,  we  should  seize  the 
moment  when  the  animal's  leg  is  raised,  to  touch  him  more 
sharply  with  the  spur. 

I  have  never  had  horses  which  took  a  long  time  to  do  this 

•cause  this  portion  of  the  body  to  become  raised,  as  a  result  of  stimulating  the 
part.  On  this  account  I  condemn  the  use  of  the  cutting  whip  in  high-school 
■work. 

Horses  which  have  been  "routined,"  I  cannot  say  "broken,"'  by  the  cutting 
•whip,  are  always  ugly  and  badly  balanced.  Having  the  neck  on  a  level  with  the 
withers  and  the  croup  high,  the  forehand  is  depressed,  and  is  consequently  in  a 
position  the  direct  opposite  of  that  of  a  true  school  horse  (Fig.  62),  which  has 
always  his  neck  high  and  his  hocks  well  bent  under  the  body. 

*I  believe  I  was  the  first  to  make  a  horse  do  the  rocking  of  the  haunches  with 
passage  of  the  forehand  in  1880,  at  Paris,  with  the  thorough-bred  Amour. 


252  HIGH-SCHOOL   RIDING. 

movement.     But,  as  I  have  often  said,  I  content  myself  with  a 
little  at  the  beginning  of  a  new  work. 

Let  us  suppose,  for  example,  that  at  the  moment  when  the 
right  leg  is  extended,  I  touch  the  horse  sharply  with  the  left 
spur,  he  will  make  a  small  leap  forward  :  that  is  the  first 
period.  I  content  myself  w^ith  this,  and  pat  him  on  the  neck. 
Then  I  begin  again. 

When  I  am  sure  of  my  first  period,  I  do  not  demand  a 
second,  but  I  begin,  quite  simply,  with  the  left  leg,  in  the  same 
manner  as  I  did  wdth  the  right. 

When  I  have  obtained  from  my  horse  a  single  time  of  the 
trot  on  each  leg,  I  demand  two,  but  only  when  such  particular 
time  is  correct  in  length  and  height,  and  is  done  with  ease. 

If  one  leg  is  lazier  than  the  other  leg,  which  is  almost 
always  the  case,  I  work  only  that  leg,  which  is  the  best  means 
of  impressing  the  memory  of  the  horse,  and  of  making  him 
understand,  by  means  of  my  indications,  that  he  uses  that  leg 
too  slackly. 

Having  established  harmony,  I  connect  the  two  first 
periods  and  afterwards  demand  four  ;  but  no  more  for 
a  long  time,  not  even  when  the  horse  tries  to  do  more  of  his 
own  accord. 

It  is  better  to  be  contented  with  four  times  well  done,  than 
to  try  to  quickly  obtain  a  greater  number  which  would 
be  doubtful. 

In  the  Spanish  trot,  the  horse  displays  great  energy,*  of 

*  See  Fig.  51.  The  thorough-bred  Markir  (by  the  thorough-bred  Anglo- 
Arab  Cyrus,  out  of  the  thorough-bred  Theresine),  at  the  Spanish  trot :  right 
diagonal  in  the  air  ;  perfectly  in  hand  ;  head  a  little  beyond  the  vertical ;  and 
jaw  bent.  Fig.  52,  Germinal  at  the  Spanish  trot  :  left  diagonal  in  the  air ; 
and  in  hand.  The  cutting  whip  would  never  give  extensions  of  the  legs  like 
those  shown  in  these  two  illustrations,  which  were  entirely  an  affair  of  the  spurs. 
We  can  see  in  these  two  cases,  how  the  hock  which  is  in  the  air  is  brought  well 
under  the  body,  which  is  the  whole  secret  of  the  elevation  of  the  forehand.  The 
expenditure  of  energy  in  Fig.  51  is  so  great  that  the  fetlocks  almost  touch  the 
ground. 


Oh    $: 


SPANISH    TROT.  257 

which  we  should  not  take  undue  advantage  ;  because  if 
we  wish  to  obtain  twenty  or  thirty  steps  of  this  movement 
in  a  short  time,  it  is  certain  that  the  last  will  not  be  as 
brilliant  as  the  first,  and  the  horse  will  acquire  the  bad  habit 
of  not  extending  his  legs  with  energy. 

If,  on  the  contrary,  we  know  how  to  be  contented  with 
little,  the  more  modest  our  demand,  the  greater  will  be  the 
energy  which  we  can  obtain  in  its  execution. 

Before  requiring  the  horse  to  keep  up  the  Spanish  trot  for 
a  long  time,  we  should  wait  until  he  can  do  it  without 
effort.  When  he  is  very  familiar  with  this  movement,  it 
will  not  fatigue  him,  and  we  can  then  make  him  do  it  three 
or  four  times  round  the  school,  but  we  should  not  go 
beyond  that. 

I  have  already  said  that  during  breaking,  we  should  not 
allow  the  horse  to  take  the  initiative  in  any  movement,  for  if 
we  do  so,  he  will  take  advantge  of  our  leniency,  and  will 
not  obey  our  orders.  He  will  frequently  do  what  he  finds 
easy,  and  what  pleases  him ;  but  not  what  will  please 
us.  Thus,  while  we  are  teaching  him  the  changes  of  the 
leg  at  the  canter,  he  will  often  do  more  than  we 
demand.  If  we  allow  him  to  do  this,  we  will  not  be 
able  to  make  him  do  the  changes  regularly,  because  he 
will  do  them  of  his  own  accord,  without  our  being  able  to 
regulate  him. 

When  a  horse  takes  the  initiative  in  a  movement  which  we 
have  taught  him,  we  should  correct  him,  but  not  harshly.  If 
we  leave  him  to  go  his  own  way,  he  will  quickly  take  advan- 
tage of  our  slackness,  and  our  authority  will  be  lost. 

If  I  say  that  in  this  case  the  punishment  should  never 
be  very  severe,  I  assume  that  in  taking  the  initiative  in  a 
movement  which  he  has  been  taught,  he  gives  a  proof  of 
good  will.  Nevertheless,  I  repeat,  it  should  not  be  tolerated. 
Each  time  he  tries  to  do  a  movement  for  himself,  we  should 

17 


258  HIGH-SCHOOL   RIDING. 

replace  him  in  the  position  he  previously  occupied,  and  keep 
him  in  it  until  he  remains  in  it  without  trying  to  get 
out  of  it. 

I  have  often  seen  horses  which  had  been  taught  the 
Spanish  walk  use  it  subsequently  as  a  defence.  To  every 
demand  they  replied  by  extending  their  legs  without  moving 
on.  This  was  caused  by  their  being  taught  artificial  airs 
too  soon.  Before  coming  to  them,  the  horse  should  be  very 
supple  and  should  be  absolutely  obedient  in  all  natural 
movements. 

Young  breakers  generally  wish  to  go  too  fast,  and  it 
amuses  them  to  see  their  horse  extend  his  legs.  When 
he  does  it,  even  of  his  own  initiative,  they  pat  him  on  the 
neck,  and  are  astonished  later  on  at  not  being  able  to  get 
him  to  do  something  else  which  they  ask  him. 

It  is  easy  to  understand  that  a  horse  will  use  the  Spanish 
walk  as  a  defence,  when  the  order  of  the  breaking  is  faulty. 
In  fact,  when  we  teach  him  this  movement  we  force  him  to 
bear  the  spur,  while  remaining  stationary.  This  is  the  great 
danger  in  all  breaking,  because,  if  a  horse  has  not  been 
at  first  accustomed  to  go  freely  forward  on  being  touched 
with  the  spur,  he  extends  the  leg,  or  leans  on  the  spur. 
Before  teaching  a  horse  to  bear  the  spur  without  moving 
forward,  we  ought  always  be  sure  of  being  able  to  make  him 
go  forward  by  means  of  the  spur  when  we  wish. 

It  very  often  happens  that  a  horse,  through  softness,  uses  as 
a  defence  an  air  to  which  he  is  accustomed,  but  will  never 
use  an  air  which  requires  great  energy.  As  I  have  just  said, 
we  should  of  course  put  him  back  into  his  old  position,  and 
should  prevent  him  from  getting  out  of  it.* 

■*  When  a  horse  who  knows  how  to  do  a  thing  very  well,  becomes  obstinate 
on  some  particular  occasion,  he  should  be  taken  in  hand  very  resolutely  and 
reduced  to  obedience  by  every  possible  means.  I  advise  the  rider  never  to  yield  ; 
for  if  he  does  so,  the  animal    will  quickly  understand   that  if  he   wants   to  be 


SPANISH    TROT.  259 

Besides,  the  horse  ought  to  be  so  intently  occupied  with  his 
rider,  during  the  entire  course  of  a  lesson,  that  he  should 
think  of  nothing  else  ;  and  the  rider  should  mentally  act  in  a 
similar  manner  towards  the  horse. 

The  man,  so  to  speak,  ought  to  take  entire  possession  of 
the  animal,  and  should  make  him  so  attentive  to  his  orders 
that  the  horse  should  not  think  of  anything  except  what  he  is 
asked  to  do.  As  regards  myself,  I  take  such  possession  of 
the  horse  I  ride,  that  the  only  idea  I  leave  in  his  head  is : 
"  What  is  he  going  to  ask  me  to  do  ?  " 

Certain  authors  say  :  "  It  requires  so  much  time  to  do  this, 
so  much  to  do  that,  at  the  end  of  so  many  lessons  we  will  be 
able  to  obtain  this  thing  or  that  thing,"  etc.  This  is  entirely 
wrong.  One  never  knows  how  much  time  will  be  required  to 
succeed  in  making  a  horse  do  any  particular  work. 

Some  horses  learn  very  quickly  what  others  acquire  with 
great  difficulty.  On  the  other  hand,  the  former  are  often  very 
unruly  when  an  attempt  is  made  to  teach  them  a  move- 
ment which  the  latter  will  learn  at  once.  In  breaking,  we 
should  therefore  pay  great  attention  to  the  peculiarities  of 
each  horse,  and  should  not  be  discouraged  if  we  do  not  obtain 
a  result  in  the  time  laid  down  in  a  book. 

Thus,  I  have  had  horses  which  learned  the  Spanish  walk 
in  a  week,  and  others  which  required  three  months  with  the 
same  method  of  instruction. 

master,  he  has  only  to  "  show  fight. "  The  rider  ought,  nevertheless,  to  keep 
cool,  and  never  lose  his  temper,  or  at  least,  not  to  give  way  to  anger,  beyond 
allowing  it  to  stimulate  his  energy,  and  to  make  him  forget  the  dangers  of  the 
struggle.  : 

By  such  faults,  the  breaking  of  a  horse,  instead  of  being  finished,  becomes  per- 
verted. The  slightest  fault  which  is  tolerated  on  one  day,  becomes  aggravated  on 
the  morrow,  and  is  converted  into  a  vice  which  cannot  be  cured  later  on,  except 
by  the  most  severe  battles.  A  broken  horse  is  not  a  machine  which  requires 
only  to  be  woundup,  but  is  a  living  creature  who  continually  tries  to  escape  from 
the  "aids"  of  his  rider,  and  who  requires  to  be  constantly  kept  in  the 
discipline  of  work, 

17* 


26o  HIGH-SCHOOL   RIDING. 

With  certain  light  and  well-shaped  horses,  I  have  obtained 
changes  of  the  leg  at  the  canter  almost  immediately  ;  although 
the  majority  of  horses  generally  require  six  months  to 
learn  to  do  it  properly.  The  same  can  be  said  of  everything 
in  riding. 

SHOULDER-IN   AT   THE   CANTER. 

I  have  put  demi-voltes  at  the  canter  into  ordinary  riding, 
because  one  might  require,  when  hacking,  to  take  a  few  steps 
at  the  canter  on  two  tracks,  in  a  more  or  less  correct  manner, 
in  order  to  get  out  of  somebody's  way.  I  will  now  take 
up  the  study  of  the  canter  in  high-school   riding. 

When  the  horse  doss  demi-voltes  correctly  at  the  canter,  I 
try  by  shoulder-in  work  at  the  canter,  to  bring  his  shoulders  away 
from  the  wall.  For  this,  the  horse  has  been  admirably  prepared 
by  work  on  two  tracks  at  the  school  walk,  and  further  by 
demi-voltes  at  the  canter. 

I  start  my  horse  at  a  canter  on  the  near  fore,  and  being  on 
the  right  track,  I  keep  him  on  it  for  a  few  strides.  I  then 
carry  my  hands  to  the  right,  in  order  to  bring  his  shoulders 
away  from  the  wall,  but  only  about  a  yard.  I  work  my  right 
leg  strongly,  in  order  to  carry  the  haunches  from  the  right  to 
the  left ;  whilst  my  left  leg  receives,  so  to  speak,  the  haunches, 
which  my  right  leg  has  just  sent  it,  and  throws  the  impulse  on 
the  hand.  In  fact,  the  left  leg  presses  the  horse  forward,  and 
thus  prevents  him  from  getting  behind  his  bridle.  It  also 
regulates  the  pace  by  preventing  the  animal  from  sidling  off  to 
the  left.  If  there  is  nothing  to  check  the  speed  of  the  pace  to 
the  side,  whether  at  the  walk,  trot,  or  canter,  the  horse  will 
fatally  regulate  his  pace,  and  will  rush  to  the  side  in  order  to 
get  out  of  hand,  that  is  to  say,  he  will  no  longer  keep  on  two 
tracks.  It  is  therefore  necessary,  in  order  for  the  movement 
to  be  regular,  that  the  rider  can  regulate  the  cadence  at  all 
paces,  and  that  he  always  keeps  his  legs  close  to  the  sides  of 


SHOULDER-IN   AT   THE  CANTER.  261 

the  horse,  in  order  to  keep  him  in  hand,  and  to  be  able  to  make 
him  go  forward  at  any  moment.* 

I  have  said  that  I  carry  the  hands  to  the  right  in  order  to 
bring  the  shoulders  away  from  the  wall.  The  pressure  of  the 
left  rein  on  the  neck  should  be  the  only  means  employed  to 
bring  the  shoulders  to  the  right,  and  it  should  cease  the  moment 
the  shoulders  leave  the  wall,  under  pain  of  stopping  the 
shoulders.  We  should  instantly  carry  the  hands  to  the  left  ; 
the  left  rein  acting  directly  to  its  own  side,  and  the  right  rein 
pressing,  in  its  turn,  on  the  neck  to  push  the  shoulders  to  the 
left.  This  is  an  effect  of  the  left  diagonal,  The  left  rein,  by 
lightly  drawing  the  forehand  to  the  left,*!*  prevents  the  hind 
quarters  from  going  in  advance  of  the  fore  hand.  In  "  two 
tracks,"  the  haunches  are  always   inclined   to  go  in  front  of 

*  Fig.  53. ^Germinal  at  the  canter:  shoulder-in ;  going  from  right  to  left. 
This  is  the  second  period  of  the  canter,  and  the  right  diagonal  is  in  support. 
The  right  hock  is  about  to  be  extended,  and  the  near  fore  has  not  yet  come 
down. 

Fig.  54. — Germinal  at  the  canter :  shoulder-in  ;  going  from  left  to  right. 
Left  diagonal  in  support. 

f  ig-  55. ^Germinal  shoulder-in  at  the  canter ;  going  from  left  to  right  in 
complete  rassenibler.  We  will  note  that  the  horse  gains  less  ground,  and 
especially,  that  the  canter  of  the  rassembler  is  in  four  time,  namely,  near  hind, 
off  hind,  near  fore,  off  fore.  In  Fig.  55,  the  oft'  hind  has  just  been  put  down 
after  the  near  hind,  and  the  near  fore — which,  in  the  ordinary  canter,  would  be 
put  down  at  the  same  time  as  the  off  hind,  so  as  to  make  the  third  time,  namely 
the  left  diagonal  in  support — has  not  yet  been  put  down.  This  canter  is  there- 
fore in  four  time.  It  should  be  noted  that  there  is  a  moment  when  the  off  hind 
and  near  fore,  which  form  the  left  diagonal,  are  in  support  at  the  same  time  ; 
but  what  makes  the  four  time  is  the  fact  that  the  off  hind  precedes  a  little  the 
support  of  the  near  fore. 

t  For  a  long  time,  like  all  riding  masters  since  the  time  of  Baucher,  I  bent 
the  horse's  neck  to  the  side  he  was  going  ;  but  I  found  out  that  this  was  a  mistake 
because  nothing  is  more  liable  to  stop  propulsion.  I  now  restrict  myself  to 
lightly  inclining  the  head  of  the  animal  to  the  side  he  is  going  by  only  very 
slightly  bending  the  neck.  The  rein  of  the  side  opposite  to  which  he  is  moving 
can  then  have  its  full  effect  to  push  the  fore  hand,  to  keep  the  horse  straight, 
and  to  secure  the  maximum  amount  of  propulsion,  by  its  combination  with  the 
other  rein  and  with  the  .egs. 


262  HIGH-SCHOOL   RIDING. 

the  shoulders,  especially  in  demi-voltes,  which  is  a  fault  we 
should  carefully  check ;  because  the  moment  the  haunches 
go  before  the  shoulders  in  an  oblique  line,  the  horse  is  behind 
the  bit. 

Immediately  after  I  do  similar  work  for  the  shoulder-in  at 
the  canter,  from  left  to  right.* 

PIROUETTES   AT   THE   CANTER. 

In  the  pirouette  at  the  canter,  the  horse's  hind  legs  ought,  so 
to  speak,  to  "  mark  time  "  at  that  pace,  while  pivoting  round, 
in  order  that  the  haunches  may  remain  on  the  same  line  as  the 
shoulders,  which  describe  a  circle  round  them.  A  horse 
should  on  no  account  rest  continuously  on  one  of  his  hind 
legs,  as  some  authors  maintain,  for  if  he  does  so,  he  will  stop 
cantering. 

Before  pirouettes  are  required  at  the  canter,  they  should  be 
taught  at  the  walk,  with  the  horse  very  well  rassembh^'d.  With 
this  object,  I  place  my  horse  in  the  centre  of  the  school.  If  I 
wish  to  make  a  pirouette,  with  the  shoulders  turning  round  the 
croup  from  left  to  right,  I  carry  my  hands  to  the  right,  the 
right  rein  drawing  the  head  to  the  right,  and  the  left  rein 
pressing  both  the  neck  and  the  shoulders  to  the  right.  Both 
legs  are  firmly  closed,  the  left  leg  being  carried  a  little  back, 
to  fix  the  croup  and  to  prevent  it  turning,  whilst  the  right  leg 
presses  the  horse  up  to  his  bridle,  so  as  to  prevent  him  getting 
behind  his  bit.  This  work  requires  great  delicacy  and  light- 
ness of  hand.  If  the  hands  are  too  strongly  used  from  left  to 
right,  their  action  will  cause  derangement  of  the  shoulders,  but 
not  a  pirouette.  If  the  hands  feel  the  reins  too  strongly  from 
front  to  rear,  the  horse  will  get  behind  his  bit. 

When  the  horse  fully  understands  this  work  and  does  it 

*  I  do  not  allude  to  the  shoulder-to-the-wall ;  because  I  regard  it  as  a  bad 
exercise  in  which  the  horse  is  really  held  by  the  wall,  so  that  he  is  no  longer 
under  the  guidance  of  the  rider. 


tfi 


PIROUETTES   AT   THE   CANTER.  269 

easily  at  the  walk,  I  canter  him  on  a  rather  larger  circle,  and 
gradually  shorten  his  stride ;  not  from  front  to  rear,  but  by 
the  shoulders,  while  gaining  ground  to  the  side;  and  I  increase 
the  action  of  my  legs,  in  order  to  keep  up  the  speed.  The 
hind  legs  ought  to  "  mark  time  "  at  the  canter ;  but,  as  I  have 
just  said,  the  horse  ought  never  to  turn  by  continuously  resting 
on  one  hind  leg.  The  pirouette  ought  to  be  done  as  slowly  as 
possible,  The  great  difficulty  consists  in  obtaining  a  very  slow 
canter,  without  losing  that  pace.  I  employ  reversed  means  for 
the  pirouette  from  right  to  left. 

We  can  also  do  at  the  canter  reversed  pirouettes,  which 
consist  in  making  the  croup  turn  round  the  shoulders.  This 
is  an  excellent  exercise  at  the  walk,  but  I  never  teach  it  to 
my  horses  at  the  canter,  because  the  great  difficulty  in  all  work 
is  to  make  the  shoulders  move.  In  reversed  pirouettes,  on 
the  contrary,  we  teach  the  animal  to  keep  his  shoulders 
stationary,  which  is  an  absurdity  in  riding.  Besides,  this 
movement  is  ungraceful,  because  the  fore  legs,  not  being  able 
to  gain  ground,  remain  stiff  while  stamping  on  one  spot. 

On  the  other  hand,  ordinary  and  reversed  voltes  are 
graceful  and  useful.  We  obtain  them  by  means  of  the  same 
"  aids "  by  which  we  get  pirouettes,  only  we  make  the 
horse  describe  a  large  circle  instead  of  turning  him  on 
one  spot. 

When  we  begin  a  volte,  it  is  difficult  to  previously  determine 
the  exact  diameter  of  the  circle  which  we  are  going  to  make ; 
but,  nevertheless,  this  will  be  the  only  means  for  the  rider  to 
know  if  his  horse  is  right.  To  find  this  out,  it  is  sufficient  to 
trace  a  circle  at  the  centre  of  the  school.  If  a  horse  follows 
it  exactly,  he  does  so,  because  his  position  is  good,  and  he  is 
well-balanced  in  propulsion. 

When  a  horse  does  correctly  at  the  canter  all  the  different 
exercises  just  described,  we  can  ask  him  to  do  any  movement 
at  the  canter.     Having  been  made  supple  and  obedient  by  all 


270  HIGH-SCHOOL   RIDING. 

the  preceding  exercises,  he  will  never  refuse  to  obey  the  orders 
of  his  rider,  provided  that  the  man  is  patient  and  tries  his  best 
to  make  the  animal  understand. 

CHANGES   OF   LEG   AT   EACH   STRIDE. 

I  have  discussed,  in  the  hacking  canter,  the  changes  from 
the  outward  to  the  inward  leg  upon  a  straight  line.  I  shall 
now  speak  of  the  changes  of  leg  in  the  school  canter.  I  teach 
the  horse  the  changes  of  leg  from  within  to  outside,  only  when 
he  does  them  from  outside  to  within  very  easily,  and  of 
course  I  use  similar  means.  In  the  beginning,  we  should 
carefully  avoid  getting  the  horse  to  do  them  in  the  corners 
of  the  school,  the  outward  side  of  the  horse  having,  by  reason 
of  the  turning  movement,  more  ground  to  cover,  which  fact 
requires  a  stronger  support  of  the  rider's  opposite  leg  *  to 
prevent  the  horse  going  sideways,  and  to  press  him  forward 
on  to  the  hand.  We  should  not  require  changes  of  the  leg 
from  within  outwards  in  the  corners  of  the  school  until  he 
does  them  easily  in  a  straight  line.f 

I  never  require  the  shoulder-to-the-wall  I  at  the  canter 
before  obtaining  the  changes  of  leg  in  the  air — that  is  to  say, 
at  the  canter  without  stopping,  because  when  we  require  the 
horse  to  change  from  the  outward  leg  to  the  inward  one,  he 
almost  always  tries  to  bring  his  haunches  to  the  inside,  as  he 
does  in  the  shoulder-to-the-wall,  since  the  same  "  aids "  are 

*  "  Opposite  leg  "  means  the  leg  opposite  to  that  with  which  the  horse  changes. 
If  I  am  going  to  the  right,  and  the  horse  is  cantering  with  the  off  fore,  I  use  my 
right  leg  to  make  him  change  and  the  left  leg  to  keep  him  straight.  If  I  do  not 
receive  the  horse  on  my  left  leg,  the  croup  will  inevitably  swerve  towards  the 
wall. 

1"  It  is  always  very  difficult  to  make  the  horse  change  correctly  when  turning. 

:J:  I  have  previously  explained  that  I  never  do,  properly  speaking,  the  shoulder- 
to-the-wall  in  the  sense  that  I  will  not  allow  my  horse  to  be  guided  by  the  wall. 
I  use  this  expression  because  it  is  the  popular  one,  but  as  I  do  this  work  always 
away  from  the  wall   in  voltes,  it  would  be  more  correct  to  call  it  "  shoulder-out." 


CHANGES   OF   LEG   AT   EACH   STRIDE.      271 

used.  If  the  rider's  inward  leg  does  not  instantly  receive  the 
change  of  leg  which  his  outward  leg  sends  it,  the  horse  will 
naturally  put  his  croup  sideways.  Under  these  conditions, 
the  changes  of  leg  are  never  regular  or  well  done.  And,  as  it 
always  takes  two  or  three  strides  to  straighten  a  horse,  it 
will  be  impossible  to  do  these  changes  with  short  intervals 
between  them. 

On  the  outside  the  evil  is  less,  because  the  wall  prevents  the 
haunches  from  being  brought  too  much  round. 

When  the  changes  are  correctly  done  with  both  legs  to 
the  right  and  to  the  left,  and  especially  in  the  corners  of  the 
school,  I  only  then  begin  to  regulate  them,  which  it  is 
impossible  to  do  before  being  certain  that  the  horse  will 
change  each  time,  and  at  the  moment  I  want  him. 

At  first  I  content  myself  with  getting  him  to  change  in 
every  eight  or  ten  strides  of  the  canter,  and  I  demand  only  a 
single  change  on  each  leg.  If  he  becomes  excited,  he  should 
be  stopped  and  practised  again  at  starting. 

To  be  on  good  terms  with  the  horse,  it  is  necessary  to  count 
the  strides  of  the  canter.  For  example,  when  going  to  the 
right,  with  the  horse  cantering  with  the  off  fore,  I  count  i,  2, 
3,  4,  5,  6,  each  number  marking  a  stride.  At  the  sixth  I  make 
him  change,  and  then  I  make  him  do  the  same  work  with  the 
near  fore  leading.  If  the  horse  does  correctly  the  two  changes 
I  have  asked,  I  stop  him  and  pat  him  on  the  neck.  I  then 
begin  again  by  requiring  him  to  do  only  a  single  change  on 
each  leg. 

At  the  end  of  a  few  days,  when  I  feel  that  the  horse  does 
this  work  freely,  I  demand  four  and  then  six  changes,  always 
at  the  sixth  stride.  As  long  as  the  horse  does  this  work  in  a 
tranquil  frame  of  mind,  I  gradually  increase  the  number  of 
changes  at  the  sixth  stride,  or,  as  it  is  said,  at  the  sixth 
"  time,"  but  without  over-doing  it. 

If  the  horse  gets  excited  I  stop  him,  but. I  do  not  pat  him. 


272  HIGH-SCHOOL   RIDING. 

for,  if  I  did  so,  he  might  think  that  I  was  encouraging  him  to 
get  excited.  I  walk  him,  well  in  hand,  and  then  I  begin  again 
the  lesson,  which  I  do  not  finish  until  he  has  done  the  changes 
steadily. 

The  pitfall  in  the  changes  of  leg  exist  entirely  in  the  pre- 
parations which  the  breaker  generally  makes  to  obtain  them. 
Of  course,  I  do  not  allude  to  the  preparation  of  the  horse, 
which  is  indispensable,  but  only  to  the  movements  of  the 
breaker  before  the  exact  moment  when  he  wants  the  horse  to 
change.  It  is  extremely  important  that  he  remains  quiet  while 
the  horse  is  taking  his  strides,  during  which  the  animal  should 
not  change.  Thus,  during  the  first  five  strides  he  should  not 
make  the  slightest  movement.  He  ought  not  to  change  his 
"  aids "  until  the  sixth  time,  and  should  then  change  them 
together  and  with  great  precision.  If  at  the  fourth  or  fifth 
time  he  prepares  to  make  the  horse  change,  he  will  be  taking 
a  wrong  course,  because  the  horse,  being  very  sensitive  to  the 
"  aids  "  and  attentive  to  the  demands  of  his  rider,  will  become 
disunited.  If  he  touches  the  reins,  the  forehand  will  change, 
and  if  he  alters  the  position  of  his  legs,  the  hind  quarters  will 
change.  But  as  there  will  be  no  harmony  between  the  "  aids," 
the  horse  will  not  change  his  legs. 

It  is  wrong  to  blame  the  horse  for  becoming  disunited, 
because  in  such  cases  the  rider  almost  always  provokes  him 
to  do  so,  by  not  remaining  perfectly  quiet  until  the  decisive 
moment. 

It  also  happens  that  the  horse,  thinking  that  he  is  going  on 
all  right,  does  not  attend  to  his  rider's  demand,  and  anticipates 
the  order,  or  what  he  thinks  is  the  order.  Therefore  I  cannot 
too  strongly  advise  the  rider  to  keep  absolutely  quiet  during 
the  first  five  strides  of  the  canter. 

It  happens  with  all  horses,  that  when  they  have  learned  to 
do  the  changes  easily,  they  will  do  them  of  their  own  accord, 
and  without  an   indication  from  the  rider.     In  this  case  the 


CHANGES  OF   LEG   AT    EACH    STRIDE.      273 

horse  should  be  punished,  because  if  we  let  him  take  the 
initiative,  we  can  get  no  regularity  in  the  changes. 

When  I  say  that  he  ought  to  be  punished,  I  mean  that  the 
fault  ought  to  be  checked.  Thus,  if  when  the  horse  is  canter- 
ing on  the  off  fore,  he  changes  before  we  ask  him  to  do  so, 
he  should  simply  be  touched  more  sharply  than  usual  with 
the  left  spur,  in  order  to  oblige  him  to  rest  on  the  right  leg. 
Of  course  we  should  use  the  right  spur  in  a  similar  way, 
if  the  horse  has  started  with  the  left  leg  leading.  Having 
checked  the  fault  in  the  manner  I  have  indicated,  we  should 
avoid  again  requiring  a  change  of  leg  in  the  air  during  the 
same  lesson,  as  it  might  confuse  the  horse.  It  is  better  to 
go  back  to  the  starts,  while  keeping  him  for  a  long  time  on 
the  same  leg. 

If  we  have  checked  the  same  fault  several  times  and  have 
taken  care  to  pat  the  animal  when  he  changes  only  when 
we  ask  him,  he  will  soon  understand  that  he  ought  not  to 
do  anything  without  being  asked.  But,  I  repeat,  we  should 
do  the  changes  only  when  we  have  not  been  obliged  to 
punish  the  animal.  It  is  better  to  devote  several  lessons  to 
checking  the  fault,  in  which  case  the  horse  will  understand 
much  better,  will  be  quieter,  and  his  breaking  will  be  more 
rapid. 

I  make  the  horse  change  at  shorter  intervals  only  when  he 
fully  understands  what  I  want  him  to  do.  Instead  of  be- 
ginning at  the  sixth  time,  I  demand  the  change  at  the  fourth 
time,  by  using  always  the  same  means.  For  the  first  few 
times  I  content  myself  with  a  single  change  with  each  leg, 
and  during  the  following  days  I  gradually  require  a  greater 
number  of  changes. 

We  can  see  that  the  shorter  the  interval  between  the 
changes,  the  greater  will  be  the  effort  required  from  the 
horse,  who  is  consequently  apt  to  become  irritable  and  con- 
fused, in  which  case  he  should  be  halted,  walked   for  some 

18 


274  HIGH-SCHOOL   RIDING. 

time,  but  not  patted  on  the  neck.  After  that,  we  should 
begin  again  starting  at  the  canter  on  each  leg  with  the  horse 
well  in  hand,  without  asking  him  to  change,  and  should  not 
finish  the  lesson  until  he  has  become  perfectly  quiet. 

Each  time  that  I  find  any  difficulty  in  the  changes  of 
leg,  I  go  back  to  starting  at  the  canter,  which  I  find  very 
profitable.  The  starts  are  for  the  horse,  what  scales  are  for 
pianists,  and  steps  for  dancers. 

From  four  times  I  do  three,  then  two,  and  finally  one,  in 
which  each  stride  of  the  canter  ought  to  be  done  on  a 
different  leg.  I  leave  a  sufficiently  long  time  to  elapse  be- 
tween each  of  my  demands — from  four  to  three,  from  three  to 
two,  and  from  two  to  one. 

If  we  go  too  fast  we  will  not  succeed,  for  the  horse  cannot 
help  making  mistakes,  because  he  has  not  had  the  chance 
of  understanding  the  difference  between  the  changes  of  leg 
demanded  at  different  times. 

By  going  quietly  in  riding,  we  shall  be  certain  of  suc- 
ceeding quickly.  Besides,  the  horse  is  the  one  who  indicates 
to  us  the  number  of  changes  and  the  interval  between  them 
without  spoiling  his  equilibrium,  strength,  or  lightness. 

Only  when  he  is  quiet,  light  in  hand,  and  when  he  does 
the  changes  with  ease,  do  I  obtain  the  changes  in  two  time, 
and  then  in  each  stride,  during  two  or  three  turns  round  the 
school  on  both  hands  ;  and  I  make  him  do  the  same  work 
in  two  times,  in  voltes  and  changes  of  hand.  When  I  am 
satisfied  with  the  results  obtained,  I  make  him  do  the 
changes  at  each  stride  in  these  movements. 

The  rider  who  succeeds  in  doing  the  voltes  and  changes 
of  hand,  while  making  the  horse  change  very  steadily  at 
each  stride,  can  be  satisfied  with  himself  and  with  his  horse, 
because  he  has  overcome  the  great  difficulty  in  riding. 


PIAFFERS   AND   "PASSAGES."  275 


CHANGES   OF   LEG   WITHOUT  GAINING  GROUND. 

To  do  the  changes  of  leg  at  the  canter  without  gaining 
ground,  we  should  proceed  in  the  same  manner  as  in  the 
changes  at  each  stride,  with  only  the  difference  that  the  horse 
should  be  better  in  hand. 

It  might  appear  that  in  this  movement  we  should  greatly 
increase  the  feeling  on  the  reins,  and  diminish  the  pressure 
of  the  legs,  in  order  to  make  the  horse  go  slower.  This 
would  be  a  mistake  ;  for  in  that  case  the  hands  would  bring 
the  hocks  away  from  the  centre  of  the  body.  We  should,  on 
the  contrary,  act  vigorously  with  both  legs,  to  keep  up  pro- 
pulsion, without  which  the  canter  will  be  lost.  The  hand 
ought  to  take  possession  of  this  propulsion  in  a  very  light 
manner,  and  ought  to  drive  it  back  to  the  horse's  centre 
of  gravity,  which  is  close  to  the  rider's  legs,  when  the  animal 
is  well  balanced. 

Changes  which  are  made  without  gaining  any  ground  are 
hardly  perceptible  to  the  eye,  on  account  of  the  very  short 
extension  of  the  fore  and  hind  legs.  Hence  we  have  to  be 
very  close  to  the  horse  to  see  these  changes. 

We  owe  the  invention  of  this  difficult  and  complicated 
exercise  to  Baucher,  who  did  it  brilliantly  on  Turban  ;  but 
not  on  Partisan,  as  many  assert. 

PIAFFERS   AND    "PASSAGES." 

The  natural  passage  is  a  very  well  collected,  short  and  high 
trot,  which  is  regularly  cadenced  from  one  diagonal  to  the 
other.  But  to  fully  merit  the  title  of  passage,  the  fore  legs, 
being  raised  high,  but  gently,  should  pause  for  a  moment 
in  the  air,  with  the  knees  and  feet  bent.  The  hind  legs  are 
raised    and    the   hocks    and    pasterns    are   bent   and    carried 

18* 


276  HIGH-SCHOOL   RIDING. 

under  the  centre.  To  sum  up  :  all  four  legs  should  be  raised 
high  and  in  cadence,  so  that  the  horse  is  suspended  in  the 
air  from  one  diagonal  to  the  other.  This  natural  passage, 
which  is  graceful  and  brilliant,  ought  also  to  be  slow,  and  as 
high  as  possible.* 

We  should  bear  in  mind  that  no  horse  will  do  the  passage 
of  his  own  accord  ;  for  it  can  be  obtained  only  by  teaching. 
Some  horses  can  be  very  easily  taught  the  passage,  especially 
those  which  have  slow  paces  and  bend  their  knees  ;  that  is 
to  say,  those  which  have  high  action  before  and  behind,  and 
bend  their  knees  and  hocks — in  a  word,  slow  and  high 
action. 

A  horse  which  goes  stiffly,  without  bending  the  knees  or 
hocks,  is  not  fit  for  this  movement.  I  will  not  go  so  far  as  to 
say  that  he  cannot  be  taught  it,  but  supposing  that  he  is  made 
to  do  it,  he  moves  ungracefully,  because  he  looks  stiff,  on 
account  of  dragging  his  feet. 

It  is  extremely  difficult  to  explain  how  the  natural  passage 
is  obtained.  The  first  thing  is  to  rassembler  the  horse, 
without  doing  which  the  passage  is  not  possible  ;  but  collecting 
him  \i  not  enough,  for  he  has  also  to  be  taught  to  passage. 

Having  perfectly  collected  him,  we  ought  to  use  the  spur, 
in  order  to  obtain  the  raising  of  the  legs,  which  gives  the 
passage. 

While  riding  the  horse  at  a  well-balanced  walk,  I  make  him 
trot,  by  strongly  closing  my  legs,  while  keeping  him  well  in 

*  Fig.  56. — Germinal  at  the  passage  :  right  diagonal  in  the  air. 

Fig.  57. — Markir  at  the  passage  :  left  diagonal  in  the  air.  In  these  two 
illustrations,  we  will  note  the  elevation  of  the  legs,  the  fore  one  being  raised 
much  higher  than  the  hind.  The  spur  is  the  only  means  for  obtaining  this 
result.  The  contrary  takes  place  with  horses  broken  by  the  cutting  whip,  which, 
by  being  applied  to  the  croup,  fatally  produces  a  predominant  elevation  of  the 
hind  quarters. 

In  Fig.  57,  the  fetlock  being  extended  almost  to  the  point  of  touching  the 
ground,  is  preparing  the  energetic  spring  which  will  give  height;  but  in  Fig.  56, 
the  forward  movement  is  the  more  accentuated  one  of  the  two. 


PIAFFERS   AND   "PASSAGES."  281 

hand,  to  prevent  him  extending  himself.  Not  being  able  to 
extend  his  legs,  he  raises  them,  and  thus  gains  in  height  what 
he  loses  in  length.  At  the  same  time,  with  the  spur  helping, 
he  makes,  so  to  speak,  little  jumps  from  one  diagonal  to  the 
other,  which  are  the  beginning  of  the  passage.  But  the 
cadence  is  not  yet  correct,  because  he  always  becomes  irri- 
tated at  first,  as  he  does  not  know  what  we  want  him  to  do. 
During  the  first  few  days  we  should  take  care  not  to  keep 
at  him  too  long,  if  we  wish  to  avoid  making  him  play-up. 

The  horse,  being  irritated  by  the  spurs,  and  not  under- 
standing why  they  are  used  on  him  in  this  work,  which  is 
strange  to  him,  sometimes  gets  into  a  state  of  desperation, 
through  fear  of  the  spurs,  which  are  always  close  to  his 
sides.* 

If,  at  this  time,  we  try  to  make  the  horse  do  what  we  want, 
we  shall  be  wrong,  and  shall  probably  lose  the  battle  ;  because, 
when  the  quietest  horse  becomes  maddened,  he  will  fight  like  a 

demon. 

We  should  keep  calm,  and  at  the  slightest  sign  of  cadence, 
that  is  to  say,  at  the  first,  or  later  on,  at  the  second  time,  we 
should  stop  using  the  "  aids,"  pat  the  horse's  neck,  give  him 
time  to  become  quiet,  and  begin  again. 

A  horseman  who  has  great  delicacy  and  tact,  will  stop  the 
animal  at  the  first  time  and  pat  him.  But  the  less  tact  he  has, 
the  less  capable  is  he  of  judging  if  the  time  is  in  cadence. 
Such  a  man  will  continue  in  his  attempts  to  catch  the  cadence, 
and  will  succeed  only  in  upsetting  the  nerves  of  his  horse. 
These  remarks  explain  the  fact  that  a  clever  and  tactful  horse- 
man will  obtain  all  he  wants  from  his  mount,  without  making 
him  either  vicious  or  unsound.      Being  able  to  recognise  the 

*  It  generally  happens  during  the  breaking,  that  one  day,  or  during  several 
days,  the  irritated  horse  makes  up  his  mind,  plays  his  last  card,  and  acts  in  the 
most  furious  manner.  When  the  breaker,  by  means  of  tact  and  energy,  has  over- 
come his  final  resistance,  the  animal  is  submissive,  but  is  not  broken. 


282  HIGH-SCHOOL   RIDING. 

slightest  sign  of  obedience,  he  immediately  stops  the  work,  in 
order  to  make  the  horse  understand,  by  pats  on  the  neck,  that 
he  has  done  well.  The  quickness  with  which  he  perceives  the 
slightest  signs,  saves  him  from  overtaxing  and  disgusting  the 
horse,  and  provoking  him  to  battle,  w^hich  will  wear  them 
both  out. 

The  unskilful  rider,  who  is  slow  in  catching  the  cadence,  will 
continue  to  use  the  spur,  in  order  to  obtain  several  cadenced 
times,  and  to  be  sure  he  is  right,  and  wall  thus  punish  the 
horse,  w^ho,  not  knowing  why  he  is  punished,  will  defend 
himself,  while  the  rider  is  spurring  him.  The  result  will  be,, 
that  when  he  wants  the  horse  to  again  do  the  passage^  the 
animal  will  think  he  is  going  to  be  punished,  and  will  become 
mad  at  the  approach  of  the  spurs. 

Hence,  the  important  point  is  to  recognise  the  slightest  signs 
of  good  will,  and  to  be  content  with  little.  If  the  horse  does 
not  fear  the  approach  of  the  legs,  and  if  we  are  not  too 
exacting,  a  time  will  always  arrive  when  he  will  take  up  the 
cadence  oi  She.  passage  with  ease  and  pleasure.  We  may  then 
ask  more  ;  because,  as  the  horse  understands  us,  there  will  be 
no  fear  of  over-exciting  his  nervous  system. 

All  the  work  on  "  two  tracks  "  can  be  made  at  the  passage, 
but  it  is  difficult  to  do  it  correctly.* 

The  artificial  passage  is  another  form,  which  is  only  an 
adjunct  of  the  Spanish  walk.  It  is  an  wvlCo\\&c\&^  passage, 
and  consequently  it  is  opposed  to  all  the  principles  of 
equitation.       I    practised    it    in    my   youth,    when   I   had   not 

*  Fig.  58. — Markir  at  the  passage  on  "two  tracks"  from  left  to  right,  with 
the  left  diagonal  in  the  air.  The  position  is  that  of  "  two  tracks,"  but  the 
action  is  that  of  'Cn^  passage. 

Fig-  59- — Markir  at  iht passage  on  "two  tracks  "  from  left  to  right,  with  the 
right  diagonal  in  the  air.  Here  the  movement  on  "  two  tracks  "  is  well  marked. 
The  near  hind,  which  gains  but  little  ground,  is  well  raised.  The  off  fore,  after 
having  been  raised,  like  the  off  fore  in  Fig.  58,  is  carried  away  from  the  near  fore, 
in  order  to  gain  ground  to  the  right. 


fa 


PIAFFERS    AND    "PASSAGES."  287 

enough  tact  to  obtain  the  natural  passage.      I   never  teach  it 
nowadays.* 

The  piaffer  is  only  a  natural  passage  without  gaining 
ground.  There  are  two  kinds  of  piaffers  :  one,  which  is  slow, 
high  and  difficult,  and  which  some  horses  will  not  stand  ;  the 
other,  which  is  hurried  and  close  to  the  ground,  and  which 
almost  all  horses  can  learn. 

The  high  and  slow  piaffer  differs  from  the  natural  passage, 
only  by  its  being  done  entirely  without  gaining  ground.  We 
can  obtain  it  by  shortening  the  passage  step  by  step,  until  it  is 
done  on  one  spot.  The  piaffer  therefore  requires  more 
rassembler,  and  therefore  more  use  of  the  legs  and  more 
delicacy  of  the  hand,  than  the  passage.-f 

When  a  horse  has  not  been  taught  the  passage,  the  piaffer 
will  be  a  consequence  of  the  walk.  A  vigorous  and  impatient 
horse  can  easily  be  taught  the  hurried  piaffer,  which  will  not 
be  regular  unless  he  has  been  instructed  in  accordance  with 
the  rules  of  equitation. 

It  is  not  enough  for  the  horse  to  be  lively  and  vigorous,  in 
order  to  make  him  do  the  piaffer  by  exciting  him  with  the 
cutting  whip,  legs,  or  clicks  of  the  tongue.  By  these  means 
we  will  no  doubt  succeed  in  making  him  impatient,  but  not  in 
teaching  him  the  manner  in  which  he  should  put  his  feet  on 
the  ground  ;    and  we  may  be  certain  that  if  he  puts  them 

*  I  could  make  similar  observations  respecting  certain  artificial  airs  which 
I  have  long  given  up  with  horses  which  I  break  for  myself ;  not  because  they  are 
opposed  to  the  principles  of  equitation,  but  because  I  do  not  find  them 
sufficiently  scientific  ;  as  for  instance,  the  Spanish  walk,  reversed  pirouettes  on 
three  legs,  ordinary  and  reversed  pirouettes  with  the  legs  crossed,  reining  back 
without  reins,  and  rocking  the  fore  and  hind  quarters. 

t  Fig.  60. — Markir  at  the  piaffer  :  right  diagonal  in  the  air. 

Fig.  61. — Markir  at  the  piaffer  :   left  diagonal  in  the  air. 

In  these  two  illustrations,  we  will  note  the  energy  which  is  displayed  and  which 
is  marked  by  the  fact  that  the  fetlocks  come  down  to  the  ground,  and  by  the  great 
elevation  of  the  fore  legs,  which  are  raised  higher  than  the  hind  ones ;  contrary 
to  what  takes  place  in  the  piaffer  taught  by  the  cutting  whip. 


288  HIGH-SCHOOL   RIDING. 

down  regularly,  he  will  do  so  by  mere  chance.  Almost 
always,  the  hind  legs  will  be  raised  and  put  down  at  the  same 
time,  and  consequently  the  movement  will  not  be  a  pace. 

We  should  teach  the  horse  the  piaffer  by  calming  him 
down,  because  he  will  not  understand  what  is  wanted  of  him, 
unless  he  is  in  a  quiet  state  of  mind. 

To  obtain  the  piaffer,  we  ought  to  collect  the  horse,  by 
closing  the  legs,  until  we  touch  him  with  the  spurs.  It  is 
difficult  to  explain  in  a  book  the  exact  moment  when  the 
spur  should  reinforce  the  action  of  the  leg ;  in  fact,  this  is 
evidently  a  question  of  tact.  It  is  easier  to  show  this  on  the 
ground,  because  one  can  then  see  if  the  rider  uses  the  spurs  too 
much  or  too  little.  As  I  have  already  said,  the  office  of  the 
spur  is  to  make  the  horse  yield  to  the  pressure  of  the  leg, 
when  that  pressure  is  not  sufficient  by  itself.  Besides,  it  is 
necessary  for  the  horse  to  feel  the  spurs  in  order  to  remain 
rassemble'd*  Also,  to  make  a  horse  piaffer,  we  must  pre- 
vent him  going  forward,  and  if  we  do  not  use  the  spurs,  he  will 
infallibly  throw  himself  to  the  right  or  left  by  forcing  the 
respective  leg.  Therefore,  we  should  use  the  legs  sufficiently 
to  steady  the  horse.  Nevertheless,  to  hold  him  in  check,  the 
spurs  should  brush  his  coat. 

To  get  the  piaffer  •!■  we  should  use  light  pricks  of  the 
spurs  ;  X  and,  as  in  all  other  cases,  we  should  at  the  begin- 
ning be  contented  with  two  times. 

*  The  question  has  often  been  discussed,  whether  the  spurs  are  an  "aid  "  or  a 
punishment.  As  I  have  already  (said,  they  are  sometimes  one,  sometimes  the 
other,  according  to  need.  During  breaking,  they  ought  always  to  be  an  "aid,"  and 
ought  not  to  become  a  punishment,  unless  the  animal  openly  rebels,  in  which  case 
we  should  try  to  find  out  if  the  disobedience  is  due  to  pure  caprice  on  the  part  of 
the  horse  or  to  our  fault.  If  caprice  is  the  cause,  the  spurs  ought  to  punish 
him.  We  should  remember  in  all  cases  that  the  English  very  rightly  call 
the  spurs  "persuaders." 

t  The  hurried  piaffer  and  the  slow  piaffer  are  obtained  by  the  same  means. 
I  practise  only  the  slow  piafifer. 

X  This  is  what  La  Gueriniere  admirably  calls  "  the '.delicate  pinch  of  the 
spurs. ' ' 


fe 


19 


h 


19^ 


PIAFFERS    AND    "PASSAGES."  293 

I  touch  my  horse  on  the  right  and  on  the  left,  but  almost 
simultaneously.*  My  right  spur  brings  the  off  hind  under  the 
animal's  body,  which  causes  the  near  fore  to  be  raised  ;  and 
my  left  spur,  acting  in  its  turn  at  the  exact  moment  when  the 
left  diagonal  is  in  the  air,  produces  a  similar  effect  on  the 
right  diagonal.  I  thus  obtain  the  two  first  times  of  the 
piaffer ;  but  at  the  beginning  these  two  times  ought  to  follow 
each  other  so  closely  as  to  form,  so  to  speak,  a  single  time,-f- 
exactly  like  in  fencing,  when  the  swordsman  makes  "  one,  two  " 
very  close  together. ;{: 

It  often  happens  that  the  horse  will  plunge  on  feeling  the 
first  hurried  touches  of  the  spurs.  If  he  bounds  forward,  not 
much  harm  will  result,  and  we  will  learn  that  we  have  used 
the  spurs  too  strongly.  We  should  therefore  employ  them 
more  lightly  when  we  begin  again. 

If  at  this  period  of  the  breaking  we  often  repeat  these  two 
first  times  of  the  piaffer,  the  horse  will  quickly  understand 

*  In  fact,  if  I  exclusively  attack  one  side  without  immediately  receiving  the 
horse  on  the  opposite  leg,  I  will  succeed  only  in  sending  his  haunches  to  the  side. 

t  If  I  allow  an  interval  between  them,  there  will  be  an  alternate  separation 
of  the  legs  to  the  right  and  to  the  left,  as  in  a  kind  of  rocking. 

I  It  follows,  from  what  I  have  said,  that  these  two  first  times  are  necessarily 
those  of  a  hurried  piaffer.  When  we  begin  the  piaffer,  we  cannot  foretell  what 
will  happen.  As  a  rule,  the  horse  will  try  to  hurry  it,  on  account  of  the  spurs 
making  him  impatient.  Besides,  the  hurried  piaffer  being  lower  than  the  higher 
piaffer,  will  require  less  exertion.  Having  obtained  the  piaffer  of  any  kind,  it 
needs  regulating,  which  will  test  the  skill  of  the  breaker.  The  difficulty  is  to 
prevent  the  hurried  piaffer  occurring,  or,  rather,  to  change  it  into  the  slow  piaffer, 
by  giving  it  height  brought  on  by  the  rasseuibler.  The  more  the  rassembler,  the 
greater  the  height.  The  slow  and  high  piaffer  is  obtained  by  energetic  action  of 
the  legs,  lightness  of  hand,  and,  above  all  things,  delicate  tact  in  combining  the 
"aids."  In  the  hurried  piaffer,  the  legs  are  kept  stiff,  on  account  of  their  being 
raised  but  little  off  the  ground.  In  the  high  piaffer,  the  biped,  which  is  in  the 
air,  is  greatly  bent,  while  gaining  height,  and  the  fetlocks  of  the  biped  which  is 
on  the  ground  almost  touch  it  (Fig.  6i),  so  as  to  be  able,  in  their  turn,  to  raise 
the  body  by  their  spring. 

When  we  go  from  the  passage  to  the  piaffer  by  shortening  the  passage,  we  can 
regulate  the  times  of  the  piaffer  more  easily  on  account  of  the  cadence  already 
obtained ;  but  the  tact  of  the  rider  is  not  the  less  necessary. 


294  HIGH-SCHOOL   RIDING. 

what  wa  want  him  to  do.  As  soon  as  he  correctly  marks  the 
first  two  times,  without  showing  any  wish  to  escape  from  the 
spurs,  we  may  try  to  get  him  to  do  four,  six  or  more,  and  we 
can  continue  to  increase  the  number,  as  long  as  we  hold  him 
easily  in  this  position ;  but  we  should  not  overdo  it. 

We  should,  of  course,  stop  the  piaffer  and  send  the  horse 
forward,  well  in  hand,  the  moment  we  feel  he  can  escape  from 
us,  whether  by  bringing  his  haunches  sidesways,  doing  a 
half-rear  or  reining  back,  which  is  still  worse. 

In  the  first  case,  we  should  straighten  the  haunches  by  a 
sharp  touch  of  the  spur,  given  on  the  side  to  which  he  throws 
himself,  and  by  way  of  punishment. 

If  he  makes  a  half-rear,  we  are  forced  to  slacken  the  reins, 
to  avoid  an  accident  ;  but  the  spurs  should  be  kept  close  to 
the  sides  (Fig.  65)  ;  because  if  that  were  not  done,  he  would 
constantly  rear.  The  action  of  the  spurs  ought  to  be  increased 
by  small  touches  until  the  horse  has  become  quiet  in  hand,  in 
which  case  he  has  "  given  in." 

Running  back  is  the  most  difficult  and  dangerous  fault  to 
overcome.  If,  on  being  lightly  touched,  he  violently  runs 
back,  the  reins  should  he  left  quite  loose,  and  the  spurs  should 
be  used  more  vigorously.  Repeated  touches  of  the  spurs 
close  to  the  girths  are  a  means  which  the  horse  cannot  resist, 
if  they  are  energetically  continued.  Besides,  I  have  already 
said  that  we  should  never  spur  a  horse  which  is  stationary^ 
until  we  have  taught  him  to  go  freely  forward  on  being 
touched  by  the  spurs.  Therefore,  I  do  not  incur  the  liability 
of  combatting  the  defence  which  I  have  described.  If,  how- 
ever, I  had  to  do  so,  I  would  easily  settle  the  matter  by 
repeated  attacks  of  the  spurs,  which  act  like  the  roll  of  a 
drum.  But  if,  on  account  of  insufficient  breaking,  we  have  to 
deal  with  this  defence,  and  if  we  cannot  continue  the  repeated 
attacks  of  the  spurs  behind  the  girths,  we  should  take  a 
cutting  whip  or  cane,  or  get  an  assistant  armed  with  a  driving 


PIAFFERS   AND   "PASSAGES."  295 

whip.  In  any  case,  we  must  make  the  animal  go  forward  at 
all  cost.  Here  we  are  in  a  pitched  battle,  and  we  have  got  to 
know  whether  the  man  or  the  horse  is  to  be  master.  We 
should  on  no  account  yield.  Any  means  will  do,  because  we 
must  win  the  battle,  otherwise  the  horse  will  be  restive.  Of 
course,  I  do  not  advise  violent  spurring  or  other  severe 
measures,  unless  the  horse  obstinately  runs  back,  in  which 
case  the  only  alternative  left  to  the  breaker  is  not  to  be 
beaten. 

If  the  horse  finds  out  that  he  can  escape  work  by  running 
back,  he  will  become  the  master  of  his  rider  ;  and  every 
time  the  rider  uses  the  spurs,  no  matter  for  what  movement, 
the  horse  will  run  back.  If  the  man  does  not  inflict  exemp- 
lary punishment,  ivJiile  the  animal  is  running  back,  he  had 
best  give  up  the  breaking,  and — which  is  still  wiser — the  horse. 

We  ought  to  remain  cool,  however  energetically  we  may 
act.  If  we  give  way  to  anger,  we  will  become  more  quickly 
exhausted  than  the  horse.  With  this  proviso,  punish  the 
horse  coolly  and  severely  until  he  learns  that  the  more  he  goes 
back,  the  more  pain  he  will  suffer,  and  consequently  he  will  go 
forward,  in  which  case  we  should  immediately  pat  him  on  the 
neck,  get  off,  and  stop  the  lesson. 

It  does  not  matter  whether  the  struggle  takes  place  at  the 
beginning  or  middle  of  the  lesson,  but  as  soon  as  the  horse 
yields  we  should  stop  it,  because,  if  we  recommence  the  work, 
we  cannot  be  sure  of  obtaining  a  second  concession  in  the  same 
lesson,  especially  if  the  horse  has  been  obstinate  for  a  long 
time.  Besides,  we  are  both  tired,  and  the  animal  can  offer 
only  passive  resistance,  which  is  the  most  terrible  of  all.  We 
may  kill  him  by  blows,  but  he  will  not  stir.  We  have  gone 
beyond  his  strength,  and  by  persisting  we  will  succeed  only  in 
disgusting  him  for  ever. 

We  should  therefore  profit  by  the  smallest  concession,  and 
should,  above  all  things,  avoid  prolonging  the  punishment  when 


296  HIGH-SCHOOL   RIDING. 

the  horse  goes  forward.  Otherwise,  he  will  not  know  when  he 
does  wrong  or  when  he  does  right,  because  he  gets  beaten 
whether  he  goes  forward  or  back.  I  therefore  particularly 
advise  the  breaker  never  to  lose  his  temper,  although  retaining 
the  utmost  energy. 

I  once  had  a  black  thorough-bred,  called  Negro,  which  I 
rode  in  public  for  four  or  five  years.  He  never  failed  me  in 
work,  although  he  was  peevish  and  screamed  when  touched 
with  the  spur.  When  I  began  to  break  him,  he  ran  back 
immediately  I  closed  my  legs. 

For  two  months  he  did  not  stop  running  back  under  me 
during  a  lesson  of  twenty  minutes  each  day.  I  was  in  despair. 
All  the  breakers  of  my  acquaintance  said  that  I  would  never 
succeed  in  making  him  go  forward,  yet  he  gave  in  at  last.  He 
even  became  an  excellent  lady's  horse,  and  never  relapsed  into 
the  troublesome  vice,  of  which  I  had  great  trouble  to  cure  him. 
To  succeed  in  this,  I  used  the  spurs  only  by  touches.  They 
should  never  be  kept  stuck  in  the  animal's  sides.*  The  spurs 
which  I  used  were  very  sharp,  and  I  applied  them,  as  I  always 
do,  as  close  as  possible  to  the  girths.i*  I,  of  course,  took  care 
to  pat  the  animal  on  the  neck  the  moment  he  went  forward. 
I  must,  however,  admit  that  after  a  struggle  during  twenty 
minutes  without  ceasing,  I  was  completely  exhausted,  and  so 
was  my  horse.  To  break  such  an  animal,  one  must  be  young, 
have  a  very  strong  seat  and  good  loins,  because  they  are  the 
first  to  get  tired. 

The  reason  for  ceasing  to  keep  the  horse  in  the  same  place, 

*  In  fact,  it  is  the  pain  which  is  renewed  at  each  moment  that  makes  the 
horse  fly  from  the  spur.  If  it  is  kept  against  his  side  he  will  rest  on  it,  and  will 
inevitably  jib. 

t  There,  and  only  there,  will  the  touch-  of  the  spur  give  impulsion.  Its  touch 
further  back  will  cause  forward  movement,  but  without  impulsion,  and  further,  it 
will  tickle  the  horse,  on  account  of  the  far  greater  sensibility  of  that  part.  Only 
a  touch,  as  near  as  possible  to  the  girths,  brings  the  hock  under  the  centre  of  the 
body  ;  hence  the  impulsion.     I  am  always  tearing  my  girths  to  ribbons. 


PIAFFERS    AND    "PASSAGES."  297 

during  the  three  defences  I  have  mentioned,  is  to  remain  master 
of  him.  If  he  resists  the  attacks  of  the  spurs,  when  he  is 
stationary,  I  make  him  go  forward  at  all  hazards.  I  then  close 
my  legs,  and  begin  again,  until  he  yields.  The  point  upon 
which  I  insist  is,  that  we  are  always  master  of  a  horse  when  we 
can  make  him  go  forward. 

These  observations,  of  course,  do  not  apply  only  to  the 
piaffer  and  passage.  My  reason  for  having  dwelt  on  this 
subject  so  long,  is  that  the  means  I  have  mentioned  are  always 
the  same  which  I  use  for  combatting  defences — always  the 
same  which  the  horse  adopts  when  he  is  touched  by  the  spur, 
while  he  is  kept  in  one  place.* 

Men  of  the  new  school,  of  whom  I  had  occasion  to  speak  in 
the  preceding  chapter,  employ,  in  order  to  teach  the  piaffer, 
means  not  less  strange,  though  more  brutal,  than  that  which 
they  use  for  teaching  the  Spanish  walk.  They  open  the  door 
of  the  school,  and  place  the  horse,  with  his  head  turned  to  the 
side  of  the  stable,  close  to  the  opening  of  this  door,  to  make 
him  impatient.  One  man  is  on  his  back,  another  holds  the 
caveson,  and  a  third  stands  behind  the  animal,  with  a  driving 
whip  in  his  hand.f  They  then  put  on  each  pastern  a  leather 
hobble,  to  which  is  attached  a  piece  of  wood  in  the  shape  of 
an  &g'g. 

When  the  horse  moves  a  foot,  or  rather  when  he  puts  it  down, 

*  Many  breakers,  when  alluding  to  horses  which  have  got  the  better  of  them, 
say,  in  order  to  excuse  themselves,  that  nothing  can  be  done  with  animals  which 
kick,  rear,  or  run  back  each  time  they  feel  the  spur.  The  truth  is  that  their 
method  is  faulty!  Sometimes  they  boast  that  they  punished  their  horse  so 
severely  that  he  could  not  get  up  for  several  days,  a  statement  which  only 
proves  their  brutality.  In  the  worst  battle  with  a  horse,  I  have  never  ill-treated 
him  to  such  an  extent  as  to  bring  him  down.  I  have  never  even  fatigued  him 
so  much  as  to  make  him  unable  to  resume  his  work  on  the  following  day. 

t  These  gentlemen  only  work  all  together— always  several  tormentors  for  one 
victim.  Besides,  they  are  so  convinced  that  they  cannot  do  otherwise,  that 
they  scoff  at  those  who  say  that  a  breaker  ought  to  ride  his  horse  and  break 
him  without  the  help  of  anyone,  a  fact  which  appears  to  them  to  be  simply 
impossible. 


298  HIGH-SCHOOL   RIDING. 

the  egg  strikes  the  coronet,  and  makes  him  raise  the  foot. 
The  man  in  the  saddle  uses  the  spurs,  the  one  who  is  in 
rear  uses  the  driving  whip,  and  the  operator  who  holds  the 
caveson,  and  is  in  front  of  the  animal's  head,  prevents  him 
advancing  by  giving  him  blows  on  the  nose  with  the  caveson. 
The  horse,  thus  imprisoned,  shows  great  impatience,  and  as  the 
egg  strikes  his  coronet,  and  makes  him  raise  his  foot  each 
time  he  puts  it  down,  he  performs  a  kind  of  hurried  piaffer, 
which  is  neither  graceful  nor  regular.  Besides,  by  this 
method  they  teach  a  horse  to  piaffer  in  front  of  the  stable 
door,  which  no  doubt  is  very  ingenious,  and  does  not  require 
much  skill.  It  has,  however,  the  drawback  that  the  moment 
the  horse's  head  is  turned  away  from  the  stable,  his  impatience 
vanishes,  and  he  stops  the  piaffer.  This  is  a  machine-made 
horse.  I  shall  not  go  further  in  this  description,  for  my 
intention  is  only  to  give  a  sketch  of  the  system  of  breaking 
used  by  the  new  school,  who  use  the  same  means  for  every 
kind  of  work.     I  do  not  undertake  to  describe  these  means. 

The  horse  which  has  been  taught  the  piaffer,  only  by  the 
combination  of  reins  and  legs,  will  do  the  piaffer  anywhere,  at 
the  wish  of  his  rider,  no  matter  when  or  where. 

It  is  no  less  true  that  the  system  of  the  new  school  is 
practised  almost  everywhere.  Horses  are  broken  now  without 
being  ridden,  and  by  means  analogous  to  those  by  which  one 
would  break  in  monkeys  and  nanny  goats.  In  Vienna  this 
system  is  sarcastically  called  "  Pudeldressiriing "  (poodle 
breaking).* 

It  is  easy  to  understand  how  the  piaffer,  which  is  learned 
under  these  conditions,  is  always  bad.     At  first,  progress  is 

*  In  the  same  category  we  should  place  the  recommendation  made  by  certain 
authors,  to  hum  a  tune  in  two  time  to  a  horse  which  is  being  taught  the  piaffer 
or  passage. 

I  have  never  broken  a  horse  with  any  music.  My  only  orchestra  is  the 
spurs.  When  my  horses  hear  music  for  the  first  time  it  puts  them  out,  but 
they  soon  take  to  it. 


PIAFFERS   AND    "PASSAGES." 


299 


impossible.  Afterwards,  as  the  action  of  the  cutting  whip  or 
driving  whip  causes  the  croup  to  be  raised,  the  hind  legs  are 
raised  higher  than  the  fore  ones,  and  the  neck  is  necessarily 
depressed.  But  in  the  piaffer,  as  in  the  passage,  the  fore  legs 
ought  always  have  the  loftier  action,  which  is  the  case  when 
these  movements  are  taught  only  by  the  help  of  the  hands 


Fig.  62. — Teaching  the  piafifer  by  means  of  a  cutting  whip. 

and  legs ;  because  the  hocks  are  then  brought  well  under  the 
body,  and  the  neck  and  forehand  are  consequently  raised.* 

We  can  understand  that  the  horses  of  the  new  school  are 
never  broken  in  the  true  sense  of  the  word.  At  best  they 
are  machines  and  automatons  which  the  first  comer  can  make 

*  Compare  Figs.  60  and  61  with  Fig.  62,  which  is  copied  from  a  photograph  in 
a  recent  work  that  describes  the  method  of  teaching  the  piafifer  by  means  of 
a  cutting  whip.  In  Fig.  62  the  position  of  the  head  and  neck  is  faulty,  and  the 
forehand  is  so  over-loaded  that  the  animal  cannot  raise  the  fore  leg,  which  ought 
to  be  in  the  air,  as  in  Figs.  60  and  61.  In  Fig.  62,  on  the  contrary,  the  horse 
simply  bends  the  knee,  and  the  toe  touches  the  ground.  He  does  the  piaffer 
only  with  his  hind  quarters,  which  are  higher  than  the  forehand.  Contrary  to 
the  intention  of  the  author,  all  the  vices  of  the  piaffer,  a  la  cutting  whip,  are 
displayed  in  a  striking  manner  by  this  illustration. 


300  HIGH-SCHOOL   RIDING. 

do  this  or  that  work,  if  he  is  only  told  how,  and  at  what 
moment  or  place  he  should  touch  certain  parts  of  the  animal's 
body. 

The  riding  masters  of  the  new  school  take  good  care  not  to 
break  thorough-breds,  because  they  know  by  experience  that 
wiry,  energetic  and  strong  horses  will  not  let  themselves  be 
tortured.  In  order  to  excuse  themselves,  they  maintain  that 
thorough-breds  are  wanting  in  suppleness  ;  the  fact  being  that 
thorough-breds  are  the  most  supple  of  all  horses,  but  the  least 
patient  under  pain. 

Besides,  we  owe  to  this  new  school  all  those  ladies  who,  not 
being  able  or  not  wishing  to  ride,  find  it  much  more  easy  to 
buy  a  machine-made  horse  and  work  him  by  touching  him 
with  a  cutting  whip  on  the  legs,  head,  croup,  and  a  little 
everywhere  else,  in  a  most  ungraceful  manner. 

True  lovers  of  horsemanship  would  not  engage  in  this  kind 
of  equitation,  which  is  made  up  of  contortions,  and  which  con- 
sists almost  always  of  making  the  horse  drag  himself  on  his 
knees,  stretch  out  his  head  on  the  ground  like  a  calf  which  is 
waiting  to  have  its  throat  cut,  walk  on  balustrades,  etc. 

The  public,  knowing  little  of  equitation,  applauds  in  any 
case,  but  it  is  sad  that  the  art  of  equitation  should  have 
fallen  so  low. 

In  order  to  know  if  the  rider  really  possesses  horse  know- 
ledge, it  is  enough  to  look  at  the  horse.  If  the  animal  is 
light,  well  placed,  full  of  impulsion,  and  does  all  his  move- 
ments with  so  much  spirit  that  he  appears  to  work  with 
pleasure,  we  may  be  certain  that  he  is  not  a  pupil  of  the 
new  school,  and  is  still  less  a  machine-made  horse,  to  which 
I  have  already  alluded. 

I  may  add  that  a  man  should  ride  without  a  whip,  and 
that  a  lady  should  use  it  only  to  supply  the  want  of  the 
right  leg ;  that  is  to  say,  to  strike  on  the  right  side  and 
only  a  little  behind  the  girths. 


THE    "PASSAGE"    AND    SPANISH    TROT.     301 

There  is  no  doubt  that  the  method  adopted  by  the  new 
school  is  the  one  which  those  who  hate  work  would  like  to 
follow,  because  it  is  within  the  reach  of  anyone  who  would 
like  to  practise  it  after  a  few  days'  study.  On  the  contrary, 
we  may  see  a  true  horseman  work  for  years  without  learning 
much.  A  horseman  uses  only  his  hands  and  legs,  with  such 
delicacy  and  with  such  slight  movements  that  the  spectator 
can  hardly  see  them. 

To  sum  up,  the  new  school  breaks  a  horse  by  means  of 
tricks,  on  which  account  the  first  comer  who  knows  these 
tricks  can  obtain  certain  results. 

The  old  school  is  to  the  new  school  what  the  piano  is  to 
the  barrel  organ.  Long  study  and  great  perseverance  are 
required  to  be  able  to  play  well  on  the  former  instrument, 
and  even  then  success  is  not  always  obtained  ;  but  all  that 
is  wanted  to  grind  the  barrel  organ  is  an  arm  sufficiently 
strong  to  turn  the  handle.  In  the  former  case,  one  can 
become  an  artist  by  work  and  patience  ;  but,  in  the  latter, 
one  has  only  to  make  a  noise. 

DIFFERENCES   BETWEEN   THE    "  PASSAGE  "   AND 
SPANISH   TROT. 

Even  among  those  who  ride  well,  there  are  many  who 
confuse  the  passage  with  the  Spanish  trot. 

In  the  passage,  the  knees  and  fetlocks  are  bent ;  in  the 
Spanish  trot,  they  are  extended. 

In  the  passage,  the  less  ground  is  covered,  the  better  is  the 
movement,  because  the  time  of  suspension  is  better  marked, 
and  the  horse  appears  to  raise  himself  perpendicularly. 

In  the  Spanish  trot,  on  the  contrary,  we  should  try  to  cover 
as  much  ground  as  possible  in  each  stride.  To  be  brilliant, 
the  pace  should  be  high  and  long,  but  not  hurried  ;  because, 
if  it  is  too  fast,  the  fore  legs  will  not  be  able  to  mark  the 
time  of  suspension. 


302  HIGH-SCHOOL    RIDING. 

There  is  another  trot  which  is  called  the  "  swimmer,"  in 
which  the  horse  ought  to  trot  as  fast  as  he  can,  while 
indicating  with  his  fore  legs  a  time  of  suspension  in  the 
air.  But,  as  the  speed  is  great,  the  period  of  suspension  is 
much  less  marked  than  in  the  Spanish  trot.  I  do  not  think 
that  this  is  a  school  movement.  A  horse  which  trots  well 
with  his  shoulders  and  knees  will  do  it  naturally.  I  content 
myself  with  merely  mentioning  it. 

SERPENTINE   AT   THE   TROT. 

This  movement  consists  in  making  a  horse  take  four  side 
steps  to  the  left  and  four  to  the  right  at  a  well-collected  trot. 
During  the  whole  time  the  horse  ought  to  go  on  two  tracks, 
the  forehand  gaining  a  little  more  ground  at  the  side  to  which 
the  animal  is  proceeding,  so  as  to  prevent  the  haunches  from 
going  in  front  of  the  shoulders. 

This  movement  appears  simple,  but  it  is  very  difficult  to  do 
correctly.  We  can  quickly  see  that  there  is  only  a  very  short 
interval  to  put  the  horse  back  from  one  diagonal  to  the  other 
gently  and  smoothly.  All  the  merit  and  all  the  difficulty  of 
this  exercise  consist  in  taking  exactly  four  steps  to  each  side. 
If  the  animal  sometimes  takes  three,  and  sometimes  five,  there 
is  no  difficulty,  merit,  or  interest. 

CANTER   ON    THREE   LEGS. 

We  can  make  a  horse  canter  on  three  legs,  in  which  case 
the  three  first  times  of  the  canter  are  done  in  a  rassemble'd 
canter  (in  four  times),  and  the  fourth  time  is  done  in  the  air. 
If,  for  example,  we  are  cantering  to  the  right,  the  off  fore 
should  be  held  up,  without  touching  the  ground. 

Few  horses  can  do  in  a  brilliant  manner  the  canter  on  three 
legs.  Many  can  succeed  in  doing  it ;  but  only  a  very  energetic 
animal  can  hold  his  leg  well  extended  in  the  air,  without  its 
touching  the  ground,  during  the  whole  period  of  the  movement, 


CANTER   ON    THREE    LEGS.  303 

only  under  which  condition  is  this  exercise  interesting  and 
briUiant. 

If  the  reader  has  attentively  followed  my  explanations,  he 
will  know  that  accustoming  the  horse  to  the  pressure  of  the 
legs  prepares  him  for  this  school  movement,  which  is  very 
difficult  for  the  animal  to  understand  and  do.  In  fact,  up  to 
this,  he  has  learned  only  to  raise,  extend,  and  place  his  legs  on 
the  ground,  one  after  the  other  ;  but  now  he  is  required  to 
extend  only  one  leg,  and  to  keep  it  in  that  position. 

The  canter  with  the  off  fore  in  the  air  has  only  three  beats 
on  the  ground — the  first  made  by  the  near  hind,  the  second  by 
the  off  hind,  and  the  third  by  the  near  fore.  The  fourth  time 
is  marked  in  the  air  by  the  off  fore,  which  is  fully  extended 
and  kept  as  high  as  possible. 

Before  putting  a  horse  to  this  work,  we  should  wait  until  he 
is  perfectly  broken,  and  until  he  will  offer  no  resistance.  At 
this  time,  I  have  at  my  disposal  two  movements  which  have 
been  separately  learned,  namely,  the  ordinary  canter  to  the 
right,  and  the  extension  of  the  off  fore.  From  the  combina- 
tion of  these  two  exercises,  in  which  my  left  leg  is  my  chief 
helper,  I  obtain  the  canter  to  the  right  on  three  legs. 

It  seems,  in  theory,  that  I  ought  to  easily  obtain  the  canter 
to  the  right  on  three  legs,  by  vigorously  using  the  left  spur. 
But,  in  practice,  this  is  not  so  simple  ;  because,  having  put  my 
horse  into  the  canter,  the  use  of  the  left  spur  will  do  no  good  ; 
for  it  will  make  him  bring  his  haunches  to  the  right,  or  get 
away,  but  it  will  not  make  him  extend  his  off  fore. 

We  should  therefore  canter  the  horse  to  the  right,  and, 
having  halted  him,  make  him  extend  his  off  fore.  When  he 
has  done  this,  we  should  pat  him  on  the  neck,  and  then  begin 
again  several  times. 

When  the  horse  extends  the  leg  without  difficulty  during 
the  halt,  we  should  make  him  go  through  the  same 
performance,  during  a  shorter  halt. 


304  HIGH-SCHOOL   RIDING. 

As  the  momentum  is  not  entirely  checked  during  this  half- 
halt,  the  horse  who  expects  to  raise  his  leg  during  the  halt, 
anticipates  the  halt,  and  almost  always  does  a  time  of  the 
canter  with  his  leg  in  the  air,  in  which  case  we  should  halt 
him,  pat  him  on  the  neck,  and  stop  the  lesson. 

We  can  see  that  these  two  movements,  which  at  first  were 
separate,  are  beginning  to  be  formed  into  one  ;  but  that  is  not 
sufficient. 

When  the  horse  does  this  work  easily,  and  without  stiffness, 
we  ought  to  demand  the  extension  of  the  leg  without  a  half- 
halt,  by  simply  taking  care  to  decrease  the  speed,  and  to 
raise  the  forehand.  We  should  hasten  slowly,  and  for  a 
long  time  should  be  content  with  two  or  three  strides  during 
which  the  leg  is  completely  extended,  and  above  all  things 
sustained. 

If  we  wish  to  stimulate  the  horse  to  such  an  extent  that  he 
will  hold  his  leg  in  the  air,  we  should,  ourselves,  display  great 
energy ;  because,  not  only  is  the  office  of  our  left  leg  to  make 
the  horse  keep  his  off  fore  in  the  air,  but  it  also,  in  combination 
with  the  right  leg,  ought  to  keep  him  at  the  canter,  by  bringing 
his  hind  legs  under  him.  In  other  words,  we  maintain  the 
canter  by  a  strong  pressure  of  both  legs,  and  at  the  same  time 
we  make  the  animal  hold  his  off  fore  in  the  air,  by  small  and 
repeated  touches  of  the  left  spur. 

We  ought  to  use  the  right  leg  as  vigorously  as  the  left,  in 
order  to  prevent  the  horse  carrying  his  hind  quarters  to  the 
right.  If  he  goes  sideways,  we  should  stop  him  and  put  him 
straight,  before  recommencing  the  movement  ;  because,  when 
he  places  himself  obliquely,  he  will  be  deficient  in  propulsion, 
and  in  this  position  we  shall  be  able  to  obtain  only  the  exten- 
sion of  the  leg  or  the  canter  ;  but  not  both  together.  It  is 
therefore  indispensable  to  keep  the  animal  very  straight,  and 
to  give  him  a  point  of  support  on  the  right  snaffle  rein,  in 
order  to  facilitate  the  upholding  of  the  right  leg. 


"PASSAGE"   TO   THE   REAR.  305 

The  canter  on  three  legs  may  be  done  either  to  the  right 
or  to  the  left* 

I  do  not  know  if  others  taught  this  exercise  before  me.  In 
any  case,  I  have  never  seen  it  done  by  anyone  else,  and  I 
have  never  met  with  its  description  in  any  treatise  on 
equitation. 

"  PASSAGE "   TO   THE   REAR. 

This  is  a  very  difficult  exercise  to  do  ;  because  ground  has 
to  be  gained  to  the  rear,  while  maintaining  the  diagonal  steps 
in  a  well-cadenced  manner,  and  preserving  the  same  elevation 
of  the  hind  legs,  as  in  the  forward  movement.  In  every 
retrograde  movement,  the  hind  feet  have  a  tendency  to  keep 
as  close  to  the  ground  as  possible.  Unless  we  are  absolutely 
sure  of  ourselves — as  we  ought  to  be,  when  we  face  such 
difficulties — we  often  produce,  against  our  will,  too  strong  an 
effect  from  front  to  rear,  and  thus  transfer  the  weight  from  the 
forehand  to  the  hind  quarters,  which  consequently  becomes 
lowered.     To  obviate  this  fault,  we  should   make    the  horse 

*  Fig.  63.  Germinal  at  the  canter  to  the  left  on  three  legs  ;  in  hand,  but  not 
rassembWA.  The  canter  is  in  four  time,  although  there  is  no  rassembler,  because 
the  energetic  uplifting  of  the  forehand  keeps  in  the  air,  even  the  leg  which  is  not 
extended. 

Fig.  64.     Germinal  at  the  canter  to  the  right  on  three  legs  ;  rasseinbU  'd. 

We  can  see  how  much  the  action  of  the  spur,  which  is  necessary  for  the 
rassembler;  increases  the  extension  of  the  leg  in  the  air,  and  increases  the  height 
of  the  action,  by  bringing  the  hind  quarters  under  the  body. 

Fig.  65  represents  Germinal  at  the  half -rear  with  the  off  fore  extended,  at  the 
moment  when  I  demanded  the  canter  to  the  right  on  three  legs  in  the  rassembler. 
The  horse  had  begun  by  a  lazy  extension  of  the  leg  ;  but  a  sharper  touch  of  the 
spur  has  made  him  do  this  half -rear,  while  at  the  same  time  he  extends  his 
off  fore  perfectly.  In  fact,  this  is  a  case  of  absolute  obedience  ;  and  the  horse, 
immediately  after  the  half-rear,  starts  into  the  canter  to  the  right  on  three  legs,  in 
the  rassembler.  The  photograph  shown  in  Fig.  64  was  taken  immediately  after 
this]^half-rear. 

We  can  see,  agreeably  to  what  I  have  advised,  that  the  spurs  are  applied  to  the 
sides  during  the  half-rear,  and  the  reins  slackened.  In  fact,  the  reins  are  much 
less  tight  in  Fig.  65  than  in  Fig.  64,  in  which  the  hands  feel  them  ;  but  in  Fig. 
65  the  hands  are  carried  forward  on  the  neck. 

20 


3o6  HIGH-SCHOOL   RIDING. 

rein  back  by  the  seat,  as  I  have  described  (p.  247),  and  not  by 
the  reins. 

It  is  a  mistake  to  think  that  we  can  easily  go  from  the 
forward  passage  to  the  backward  passage^  to  obtain  which  it 
is  necessary  to  make  the  transition  through  the  natural,  slow 
and  high  piaffer,  which  is  only  the  passage  without  gaining 
ground. 

It  is  only  when  the  horse  piaffes  correctly,  that  we  can  try 
to  gain  a  few  inches  of  ground  to  the  rear  at  each  step.  With 
this  object  I  increase  the  pressure  of  the  legs.  I  try  to 
rassembler  the  horse  without  pulling  him  back  by  the  reins, 
and  I  sit  well  down  into  the  saddle,  while  leaning  strongly  on 
each  footfall. 

On  account  of  the  rassembler  being  carried  to  its  maximum, 
the  equilibrium  and  mobility  of  the  horse  are  such  that  the 
slightest  displacement  of  the  body  of  the  rider  can  draw 
the  horse  in  any  direction,  as  for  instance,  to  the  rear,  which 
is  the  point  we  are  considering. 

-  This  means  of  obtaining  the  passage  to  the  rear  is  long 
and  difficult  ;  but  it  is  the  only  one  which  gives  a  good 
result. 

SEE-SAW    PIAFFER. 

In  the  see-saw  piaffer,  the  off  legs  ought  to  be  raised  and 
put  down  in  the  same  place,  while  the  near  ones  make  a 
beat  forward  and  a  beat  backward,  while  always  coming  back 
to  the  same  spot. 

The  near  legs  ought  not  only  to  mark  the  going  and 
coming  from  front  to  rear,  but  the  near  hind  quarter  and 
near  shoulder  ought  also  to  accentuate  this  movement  without 
any  participation  on  the  part  of  the  off  legs,  which  should 
only  piaffe  regularly  without  gaining  ground. 

Baucher  did  this  piaffer  with  great  t^clat  on  a  mare  called 
Stades.     I  have  taught  this  school  movement  to  four  horses. 


M 

E 


20^ 


^.'^     ^ 


p^ 


sc 


."^ 


SEE-SAW   PIAFFER.  313 

which  did  it  more  or  less  brilhantly,  according  to  their  degrees 
of  energy. 

It  is  very  difficiilt  to  explain  how  to  teach  the  see-saw 
piaffer,  but  I  will  try  to  do  so. 

It  will  at  first  be  seen  that  this  movement  should  not  be 
required  from  any  horse,  unless  he  can  do  the  slow  and  high 
piaffer.  As  such  an  animal,  when  doing  this  exercise,  has 
extreme  mobility,  the  slightest  feeling  on  the  reins  will  be 
sufficient  to  make  him  bring  a  leg  a  little  back,  in  the  same 
way  that  the  smallest  increase  in  the  pressure  of  the  spur 
will  cause  him  to  bring  a  leg  a  little  forward. 

Being  at  the  piaffer,  we  ought,  by  means  of  the  legs,  to  make 
the  horse  bring  his  near  hind  under  him  where  he  puts  it 
down.  The  right  diagonal  being  in  support,  the  near  fore — 
which,  under  the  same  action  of  the  legs  of  the  rider,  has  been 
carried  forward  at  the  moment  when  the  near  hind  is  placed 
under  the  animal's  body— remains  held  up  in  the  air,  the 
knee  bent,  and  the  off  hind  also  in  the  air  (Fig.  66).  Immedi- 
ately the  hand  ought  to  act,  in  order  to  bring  back  the  near 
fore,  which  is  about  to  be  placed  behind  the  off  fore,  and 
which  forms,  along  with  the  off  hind,  the  left  diagonal  sup- 
port ;  whilst  the  near  hind,  in  its  turn,  does  a  time  in  the 
air,  and  the  off  fore  performs  its  movement  in  the  piaffer.* 
(Fig.  67.) 

We  can  see  that  in  the  forward  movement  the  near 
hind  is  placed  in  front  of  the  off  hind  (Fig.  66),  and  that  in 
the  retrograde  movement  the  near  fore  is  placed  behind 
the  off  fore  (Fig.  6y).  This  is  the  cause  of  the  see-saw  action 
from  the  rear  to  the  front. 

If  the  reader  understands  my  explanations  he  will  observe 


*  On  comparing  Fig.  67  with  Fig.  66,  we  will  see  that  in  the  movement  to  the 
rear,  the  snaffle  reins  are  drawn  a  little  tighter  than  those  of  the  curb.  The  angle 
of  the  cheek  of  the  curb  is  very  little  more  open,  and  the  seat  presses  the  horse 
back. 


314  HIGH-SCHOOL   RIDING. 

that  this  piaffer  is  done,  like  the  ordinary  piaffer,  b}-  the 
diagonal,  notwithstanding  the  see-saw  lateral.  It  is  very- 
difficult  to  indicate,  with  mathematical  precision  the  exact 
moment  when  the  rider  ought  to  use  any  particular  rein  or 
leg ;  the  action  of  the  two  reins  and  of  two  legs  being  made 
by  a  succession  of  movements  which  follow  each  other  so 
closely  that  it  is  almost  continuous.  Here  equestrian  tact, 
which  is  the  supreme  qualit\-  of  a  rider,  displa}'s  itself  in  all 
its  beauty.  I  can  only  say  that  I  increase  the  action  of  the 
right  spur  to  obtain  the  forward  movement  of  the  near  hind, 
and  to  help  to  keep  the  near  fore  in  the  air.  But  at  the  same 
time  I  strongly  use  my  left  leg  to  prevent  the  near  hind  from 
going  to  the  left,  because  it  gets  its  stimulus  from  my  right 
leg. 

For  the  backward  movement  I  feel  both  reins,  the  near 
rein  a  little  more  than  the  off,  at  the  moment  when  the  near 
fore  has  to  be  brought  back. 

During  the  whole  time  the  rider  ought  to  freely  use  his 
legs  and  even  the  spurs,  but  the  off  rein  hardly  at  all,  and  the 
near  rein  very  little. 

CANTER  WITHOUT  GAINING  GROUND  AND  CANTER  TO 
THE  REAR. 

The  canter  without  gaining  ground  is  a  canter  which  is 
shortened  as  much  as  possible.  It  is  similar  in  ever)-  way  to 
the  forward  canter,  except  that  the  legs  do  not  gain  ground. 
It  is  very  near  to  the  backward  canter,  which  is  a  regular  pace 
of  four  time,  exactly  like  the  fonvard  canter  in  the  rasseinbler. 
It  is  the  most  difficult  and  most  complicated  school  exercise. 
My  advice  is  that  it  should  be  tried  only  at  the  extreme  end 
of  training,  and  with  selected  horses,  whose  loins  and  hocks 
should  be  exceptionally  good  to  bear  the  rasseinbler  at  its 
maximum,  without  which  it  is  impossible  to  obtain  this 
movement. 


s« 


CANTER   WITHOUT   GAINING   GROUND.     319 

The  thoroughbred  Gant,  by  Gantelet  out  of  Mile,  de 
Romanerie,  did  the  canter  to  the  rear  as  if  it  were  play,  and 
after  he  had  gone  round  the  school  at  this  pace  he  was  as 
fresh  as  before. 

Baucher  did  not  know  or  was  not  able  to  describe  the 
canter  to  the  rear.  The  following,  which  is  his  definition  of 
it  in  the  fourteenth  edition  of  his  "  Method  of  Equitation," 
p.  155,  evidently  corresponds  to  the  way  he  did  it : — "In  the 
rein  back  at  the  canter  the  times  are  the  same  as  those  of  the 
ordinary  canter ;  but  the  fore  legs,  instead  of  gaining  ground 
when  raised,  are  carried  back,  in  order  that  the  hind  legs  may 
do  the  same  retrograde  movement  immediately  the  fore  legs 
are  placed  on  the  ground." 

Ho\\'  could  Baucher  make  such  a  description  of  a  canter 
to  the  rear,  after  having  said  that  it  was  like  the  canter  to 
the  front  ?  No  doubt  it  is  like  the  canter  to  the  front,  and 
in  the  rasseinbhr  it  is  in  four  time  ;  but  it  is  precisely  for  this 
reason  that  we  cannot  give  the  name  of  canter  to  a  pace  in 
which  the  hind  legs  do  not  make  their  retrograde  movement 
before  the  fore  legs  are  placed  on  the  ground. 

What,  then,  is  this  pace  in  which  the  two  fore  feet  and 
the  two  hind  feet  respectively  come  to  the  ground  at  the 
same  time.     Under  these  conditions  where  is  the  canter  ? 

There  is  no  need  to  be  a  great  horseman  to  understand 
that  Baucher  alludes  to  a  pace  of  two  time,  the  first  time 
being  made  by  the  hind  quarters,  the  second  by  the  forehand. 
But  that  is  not  a  canter ;  it  is  plainly  little  jumps  to  the  rear. 
There  cannot  be  a  canter  unless  the  fore  legs  and  the  hind 
legs  are  respectively  put  down  one  after  another ;  and 
further,  when  one  of  the  hind  legs  is  on  the  ground  at  the 
same  time  as  the  opposite  fore  leg,  they  form  the  left 
diagonal  when  the  horse  is  cantering  to  the  right,  and  the 
right  diagonal  when  he  is  cantering  to  the  left. 

Baucher  invented  the  expression,  "  canter  to  the  rear,"  but 


320  HIGH-SCHOOL   RIDING. 

he  entirely  misunderstood  this  pace,  the  proof  being  that 
he  never  said  with  which  leg  the  horse  led  or  ought  to 
lead. 

Having  broken  Gant  for  a  lady,  I  taught  him  the  canter  to 
the  rear  on  the  right  leg  so  that  the  lady  might  be  able  to 
keep  him  at  this  pace  with  her  spur,  which  is  to  the  left.  I 
have  done  more  than  this,  for  I  succeeded  in  teaching  the 
thorough-bred  Germinal,  by  Flavio,  out  of  Pascale,  to  canter  to 
the  rear  either  on  one  foot  or  on  the  other,  according  as  I 
wished.  I  claim  the  honour  to  be  the  first  to  obtain  this 
result.  Whether  a  horse  canters  to  the  rear  or  to  the 
front,  the  rider  ought  always  to  be  able  to  say  on  which 
leg  he  is. 

The  canter  to  the  rear  with  the  near  fore  leading — although 
it  is  a  pace  of  four  time — ought  to  be  made  in  the  same  way 
as  if  the  horse  was  cantering  to  the  front  in  three  time — 
namely,  first  time,  off  hind  ;  second  time,  right  diagonal  ) 
third  time,  near  fore.  The  great  difficulty  is  to  prevent  the 
respective  fore  and  hind  legs  being  placed  on  the  same 
transverse  line.  The  off  hind  should  be  placed  in  rear  of  the 
near  hind  in  order  to  preserve  almost  the  same  longitudinal 
distance  between  the  two  legs,  as  in  the  ordinary  canter.  I 
purposely  say  "  nearly  the  same  distance,"  because  the  strides 
are  shorter.  I  need  not  add  that  the  off  fore  should  be  behind 
the  near  fore,  as  in  the  forward  canter. 

We  have  seen  that  a  stride  of  the  canter  consists  of  three 
times  on  the  ground — namely,  hind  leg  support,  diagonal 
support,  and  fore  leg  support,  as  we  see  done  with  great 
precision  in  a  good  hunting  canter,  or  what  we  call  a  hand 
gallop.  But  in  the  full  speed  gallop  and  in  the  canter  without 
gaining  ground,  or  the  canter  to  the  rear,  which  are  the  two 
extremes,  the  stride  is  in  four  time.  In  the  canter  to  the  left, 
for  instance,  the  two  legs  which  form  the  right  diagonal, 
instead    of  touching  the  ground    simultaneously,    come  down 


CANTER   WITHOUT   GAINING   GROUND.     321 

one  after  another,  the  succession  of  steps  being  as  follows  : 
off  hind,  near  hind,  off  fore,  near  fore. 

In  the  full  speed  gallop  this  fact  is  well  marked,  but  the 
speed  of  the  pace  prevents  it  being  apparent.  In  the  stationary 
canter,  and  still  more  in  the  canter  to  the  rear,  it  is  much  less 
marked,  and  for  this  reason  it  is  almost  imperceptible.  In 
fact,  at  this  pace  the  feet  only  graze  the  ground,  and  are  drawn 
back  for  only  a  few  inches.  Instruments  of  precision  or 
instantaneous  photography  would  be  required  to  prove  this  in 
both  cases,  but  the  fact  remains.  We  can  therefore  say  that 
in  the  full  speed  gallop  and  in  the  canter  without  gaining 
ground  and  to  the  rear,  there  are  four  successive  impulsions. 

Let  us  note,  however,  that  in  the  canter  without  gaining 
ground,  and  in  the  canter  to  the  rear,  the  diagonal  acts  in  the 
same  way  as  in  the  ordinary  canter,  with  the  single  difference 
— which  is  a  point  I  wish  to  bring  to  light — that  the  support 
of  the  hind  leg  precedes  the  support  of  the  fore  leg  of  the 
diagonal  by  an  extremely  short  though  actual  interval* 

To  obtain  the  canter  without  gaining  ground,  I  begin  by 
shortening  the  canter  every  day  while  maintaining  the  pro- 
pulsion—that  is  to  say,  by  pressing  the  horse  with  the  legs  up 
to  his  bit,  the  play  of  which  should  be  fine  in  proportion  to 
the  extent  of  the  rassembler.  By  gradually  decreasing  every 
day  the  length  of  the  strides,  I  obtain  the  canter  without 
gaining  ground  with  impulse,  but  not  with  the  horse  getting 
behind  his  bit.  When  the  animal  is  behind  his  bit  in  the 
canter,  it  is  impossible  to  keep  him  up  to  his  bit,  and  he 
necessarily  gets  away  from  his  rider  by  reining  back. 

*  Fig.  68.— Germinal  cantering  to  the  rear  ;  second  time.  This  photograph  was 
taken  at  the  moment  when  the  right  diagonal  was  about  to  be  used  in  support. 
The  near  hind  is  already  on  the  ground,  but  the  off  fore  has  not  yet  come  down. 
Hence  the  four  times,  the  right  diagonal  making  two  beats  instead  of  one. 

We  should  note  that  even  in  this  extreme  rassembler  the  head  remains  a  little 
beyond  the  vertical.  We  can  therefore  see  that  the  reining  back  is  done  by  the 
seat,  and  not  by  the  reins,  which  are  not  drawn  tightly. 

21 


322  HIGH-SCHOOL  RIDING. 

We  have  now  to  convert  the  canter  without  gaining  ground, 
into  the  canter  to  the  rear,  for  which  purpose,  when  my  horse 
is  cantering  on  one  spot,  with  such  ease  and  Hghtness  that  I 
have  no  need  for  the  reins,  I  try  to  bring  him  back  an  inch 
or  two  by  my  seat  and  legs,  and  not  by  the  reins.  While  my 
legs  are  raising  the  horse,  I  seize  the  moment  when  he  is  in 
the  air  to  carry  my  seat  back.  I  change  the  position  of  my 
seat,  and  not  that  of  the  upper  part  of  my  body,  by  taking 
nearly  all  my  weight  off  the  stirrups  to  put  it  on  my  buttocks. 
The  mobility  of  the  horse  is  so  great,  at  a  moment  when  he  is 
in  suspension,*  that  a  movement  of  the  rider  is  sufficient  to 
make  him  gain  a  litttle  ground  to  the  rear,  which  is  enough  to 
begin  the  canter  to  the  rear.  By  repeating  and  gradually 
increasing  these  effects  every  day,  we  succeed  in  obtaining  the 
canter  to  the  rear  as  I  have  described.  If  we  try  to  get  the 
backward  movement  by  the  reins,  the  rassevibler  will  be 
immediately  lost,  because  the  action  of  the  reins  will  send  the 
hocks  a  long  way  to  the  rear ;  their  duty,  on  the  contrary, 
being  to  remain  under  the  centre  of  the  body.  When 
they  are  to  the  rear,  the  hind  quarters  being  over-loaded 
lose  the  mobility  which  enables  them  to  gain  ground  to 
the  rear. 

NEW   SCHOOL    MOVEMENTS. 

I  have  invented  a  certain  number  of  school  exercises,  and 
will  content  myself  by  enumerating  them.  They  are  done 
according  to  the  same  principles  and  by  means  of  the  "aids" 
which  have  been  used  for  the  teaching  of  the  preceding 
movements  : — 

I.  New  Spanish    walk,   which   consists    in    making   a    step 

*This  is  the  moment  we  have  taken  for  changing  the  leg  between  the  last  time 
of  one  stride  and  the  first  time  of  the  next  stride.  It  can  be  seized  only  with 
difficulty,  and  then  we  can  get  everything  out  of  a  horse,  because  he  is  in  the  air. 
A  puff  of  wind  can  displace  him. 


2r 


NEW   SCHOOL   MOVEMENTS.  325 

forward  and  a  step  to  the  rear.  The  near  fore,  for  instance, 
extends  itself  and  takes  a  step  forward.  Then  the  off  fore 
extends  itself  and  also  takes  a  pace  to  the  front,  but  returns 
by  taking  a  step  to  the  rear.  Here  the  left  diagonal  advances 
and  the  right  diagonal  goes  back.  I  continue  this  movement 
as  long  as  I  like.  I  then  change  the  diagonal.  The  off  leg, 
in  its  turn,  makes  a  step  forward,  and  the  near  leg,  after 
having  been  extended  to  the  front,  takes  a  step  to  the  rear,  in 
which  case  the  left  diagonal  goes  back.  We  can  change  the 
diagonals  as  we  wish. 

2.  Serpentine  at  the  passage.  This  is  the  same  movement 
as  the  serpentine  at  the  trot ;  but  it  is  evidently  much  more 
difficult  to  do. 

3.  Canter  on  three  legs,  to  the  right  and  to  the  left. 

4.  "  Two  tracks  "  at  the  canter  on  three  legs  to  both  sides. 

5.  Ordinary  voltes  and  pirouettes  at  the  canter  on  three  legs, 
to  the  right  and  to  the  left. 

6.  Spanish  trot  in  two  beats  on  each  leg.  Up  to  the  present 
the  Spanish  trot  has  been  done  only  in  one  time  on  e  ach  leg  ; 
that  is  to  say,  one  time  on  the  right  and  one  on  the  left.  In 
the  Spanish  trot  in  two  times,  I  make  the  horse  successively  do 
two  beats  with  the  off  fore,  with  the  near  fore  extended,  and 
immediately  afterwards  two  beats  with  the  near  fore,  with  the 
off  fore  extended.  The  rider  can  continue  this  movement  as 
he  likes.  The  horse  naturally  advances  a  little  less  in  the 
second  time  than  in  the  first. 

7.  The  Spanish  trot  in  one  and  two  times  alternately,  as 
follows,  the  word  leg  being  understood  :  right,  left ;  right,  right ; 
left,  right ;  left,  left.  I  prolong  this  movement  as  I  wish  during 
one  or  two  turns  round  the  school.  I  believe  I  am  correct  in 
stating  that  this  is  the  most  complicated  movement  that  has 
been  obtained  in  equitation. 

8.  The  canter  without  gaining  ground,  and  the  canter  to  the 
rear,  on  three  legs.     The  great  difficulty  of  this  exercise  is  to 


326  HIGH-SCHOOL   RIDING. 

obtain  and  preserve  forward   impulsion  for  the  extended  leg, 
while  the  other  three  are  going  back.* 

It  is,  of  course,  understood  that  all  these  movements  are 
done  by  means  of  the  "  aids  "  I  have  described.  A  repetition 
of  this  would  be  useless  to  anyone  who  has  attentively  read 
the  preceding  chapters. 

SCHOOL   HORSE  FOR  LADIES. 

A  high-school  horse  which  is  required  for  a  lady,  ought  to 
be  particularly  supple,  and  should  work  from  right  to  left  with 
more  ease  than  from  left  to  right,  because  a  lady  rider  does 
the  movements  from  left  to  right  as  easily  as  a  man,  for  she 
has  on  the  left  side  the  same  "  aids  "  as  he  has,  namely,  leg  and 
spur.  But  in  the  movements  from  right  to  left,  her  whip, 
which  is  far  less  powerful  than  a  leg  armed  with  a  spur,  re- 
places the  right  leg  of  a  horseman.  If  the  horse  is  not  very 
clever  in  movements  from  right  to  left,  the  action  of  the  whip 
will  be  insufficient.  This  fact  holds  good  in  all  kinds  of  work. 
Especially  in  the  "  two  tracks,"  the  lady's  horse  does  not  hold 
himself  so  well,  and  is  not  so  completely  in  hand  from  right  to 
left  as  from  left  to  right.  The  changes  of  leg  are  also  more 
difficult  from  right  to  left.  In  the  Spanish  walk,  the  near  leg 
is  not  raised  so  high,  and  is  not  so  well  extended  as  the  off  leg. 
Increased  severity  in    the  application  of  the  whip  will  cause 

*  Figs.  69  and  70. — Germinal  at  the  canter  to  the  right  on  three  legs  to  the  rear. 
Fig.  69,  second  time.  The  off  hind  has  just  come  down  after  the  near  hind. 
For  obtaining  the  extension  of  the  off  fore,  the  spur  gives  the  impulse  that  pre- 
serves the  seat,  which  makes  the  horse  rein  back.  We  can  see  that  the  horse's 
head  is  a  little  beyond  the  perpendicular,  and  that  the  reins  are  slack. 

Fig  70,  third  time.  The  near  fore  has  just  been  put  down  behind  its  point  of 
departure,  and  the  off  fore,  which  would  be  in  support  during  the  fourth  time, 
remains  in  the  air. 

The  bringing  together  of  the  three  legs  in  support  shows  the  extent  of  ground 
which  has  been  gained  to  the  rear.  The  seat  is  continuously  drawn  back.  The 
reins,  especially  the  off  snaffle  rein,  are  drawn  up  a  little,  in  order  to  keep  the 
off  fore  in  the  air. 

These  illustrations  enable  us  to  appreciate  the  delicacy  of  the  "aids." 


u 


u 


SCHOOL   HORSE    FOR   LADIES.  331 

the  horse  to  make  a  sudden  start.  Besides,  when  the  lady- 
uses  her  right  arm  energetically,  to  give  a  cut  with  the  whip, 
the  left  hand  will  almost  always  move,  and  will  consequently 
give  a  jerk  to  the  mouth,  which  will  make  the  animal  assume 
a  wrong  position. 

Almost  all  ladies  bring  their  horse's  hind  quarters  round  to 
the  right,  because  they  make  too  much  use  of  their  powerful 
"aid"  on  the  left  side  ;  their  "  aid  "  on  the  right  side  being  too 
weak  to  keep  the  animal  straight. 

To  obviate  these  inconveniences,  a  lady's  school  horse  ought 
to  work  very  easily  from  right  to  left. 

A  lady's  hack  ought  to  be  the  same  on  both  sides. 


332 


CHAPTER   IX. 
COMMENTARIES   ON    BAUCHER. 

BaucHER  was  certainly  the  greatest  and  most  clever  high- 
school  rider  we  have  ever  had.*  There  is  no  doubt  that  he 
did  not  invent  the  high  school,  which  is  the  result  of  the  work 
of  many  generations  of  horsemen,  but  he  invented  and  co- 
ordinated a  new  and  astonishing  method.  Prior  to  his  time, 
no  horseman  had  obtained  such  marvellous  results.  He  con- 
quered many  difficulties,  and  removed  a  great  number  of 
obstacles  which  a  man  who  wishes  to  break-in  a  school  horse 
always  meets. 

He  invented  new  exercises,  which  he  did  with  remarkable 

*  As  regards  myself,  I  claim  to  be  a  follower  of  Baucher.  My  teacher, 
Fran9ois  Caron,  was  his  pupil.  I  have  thoroughly  studied  the  method  of 
Baucher  in  all  its  parts.  Without  Baucher  I  would  not  know  as  much  as  I  do  of 
riding. 

I  would  be  very  ungrateful  to  mention  the  name  of  Baucher  without  at  the 
same  time  rendering  well-merited  homage  to  his  rival,  Victor  Franconi,  from 
whom  I  have  received  many  excellent  lessons.  By  his  pluck,  strength  of  seat, 
and  by  the  impulse  he  gave  to  his  horses,  his  style  of  equitation  resembled  much 
more  that  of  Count  d'Aure  than  that  of  Baucher. 

The  names  of  the  masters  to  whom  the  horsemen  of  to-day  are  beholden  would 
form  a  long  list.  France  can  boast  of  an  admirable  host  of  great  horsemen.  If 
Italy  can  name  Pignatelli  ;  England,  Newcastle  ;  and  Germany,  Count  von 
Schweppe,  France  can  put  forward  hundreds  of  illustrious  names,  at  the  head  of 
which  shine — to  speak  only  of  bygone  celebrities — such  horsemen  as  Dupaty  de 
Clam,  La  Gueriniere,  the  Chevalier  d'Abzac,  the  Marquis  of  Bigne,  and  others. 
The  School  of  Hanover,  which  is  the  most  celebrated  of  foreign  schools,  is  the 
direct  offspring  of  the  great  school  of  Versailles.  Beyond  all  dispute,  France  is 
the  classic  country  of  equitation. 


COMMENTARIES   ON    BAUCHER.  333 

precision.  His  method  is  specially  admirable  from  the  fact 
that  it  keeps  a  horse  sound  by  proper  distribution  of  weight, 
rational  gymnastics,  suppling,  and  a  correct  development  of 
his  powers.*  Also  it  has  the  great  advantage  over  the  old 
methods  of  quickly  giving  results.  Thus,  with  Baucher's 
method,  we  can  break  a  hack  in  two  months,  and  a  school 
horse  in  eight  or  ten  months.  Formerly,  the  latter  result  took 
two  or  three  years  to  obtain  ;  and,  besides,  the  old  time  horse- 
men never  attempted  the  difficulties  which  Baucher  conquered.^f" 
I  go  further,  and  say  that  they  did  not  even  know  that  such 
difficulties  existed. 

We  should  therefore  bow  with  gratitude  before  this  master  of 
the  equestrian  art.  Is  this  equivalent  to  saying  that  Baucher 
should  be  exempt  from  criticism  ?  Certainly  not  ;  and  for 
my  part,  I  am  far  from  agreeing  with  all  his  ideas.  I  even 
think  that  it  is  my  duty  to  oppose  those  proceedings  of  his 
which  I  have  found  to  be  wrong.  In  this  book  I  have  had 
occasion  several  times  to  show  up  certain  mistakes  of  the  great 
horseman.     I  shall  now  criticise  some  of  his  opinions. 

*  I  have  adopted  in  my  work  what  I  call  the  three  golden  keys  of  Baucher's 
method  ;  namely,  his  complete  suppling  exercises,  with  greater  elevation  of  the 
head  and  neck  ;  his  attacks  with  the  spurs,  to  enclose  the  horse ;  and  his 
rassemhlci;  which  I  have  perfected. 

Apart  from  this,  I  have  worked  more  on  the  lines  of  the  old  school  of  Versailles 
than  on  those  of  Baucher,  in  that  I  always  advocate  fast  paces,  and  that  the  horse 
should  be  allowed  to  extend  himself. 

t  Up  to  the  present  time  I  have  broken  thirty-five  school  horses,  which  is  more 
than  anyone  else  has  done.  Baucher,  who  died  when  he  was  seventy-four,  broke 
twenty-six.  Being  only  fifty-six,  I  hope  to  double  that  number  when  I  am  as  old 
as  the  great  rider.     I  have  broken  hundreds  of  hacks. 

I  do  not  pretend  to  be  cleverer  than  my  illustrious  predecessors.  I  know  that 
before  my  time  others  have  done  as  well,  and  perhaps  better.  I  mention  these  facts 
only  to  show  the  results  of  my  method.  I  am  certain  that  every  horseman  who 
wishes  to  follow  it  will  be  able  to  obtain  similar  results,  provided  that  he  is  properly 
endowed  by  Nature,  and  that  he  loves  horses. 

Few  authors  have  described  a  correct  method  of  breaking  in  the  proper  sense  of 
the  word.  I  have  read  all  the  books  on  equitation,  and  find  that  none  of  them 
are  perfect. 


334  COMMENTARIES    ON    BAUCHER. 

Thus,  in  the  first  place,  I  say  that  Baucher's  method,  which 
consists  in  keeping  the  horse  completely  and  constantly  closed 
between  the  hands  and  legs  of  the  rider,  is  dangerous  for 
people  who  are  indifferent  riders,  and  also  for  those  who  work 
or  break  their  first  horses  without  being  under  the  eye  of  a 
master.*  It  is,  therefore,  not  within  the  compass  of  everyone, 
and  perhaps  it  cannot  be  practised  without  trouble,  except  by 
those  who  have  seriously  studied  it. 

Baucher  says  that  the  mouths  and  sides  of  all  horses  are  the 
same,  which  is  an  entirely  erroneous  idea.  I  maintain,  on  the 
contrary,  that  it  is  impossible  to  find  two  horses  whose  mouths 
and  sides  are  equally  sensitive.  Without  doubt,  the  difference, 
like  that  between  the  leaves  of  a  tree,  may  not  be  very  apparent 
in  all  cases,  but  it  exists,  and  cannot  be  denied. 

It  is  possible  that  we  can  succeed  in  making  all  horses 
light  in  hand  and  sensitive  to  the  spurs,  but  I  deny  that  we 
can  give  them  all  the  same  lightness  and  sensitiveness. 

Baucher  adds  that  in  the  case  of  a  puller,  his  mouth  is  not 
at  fault,  and  that  it  is  sufficient  to  change  his  equilibrium. 
Let  us  test  his  statement  by  taking,  for  instance,  racehorses 
in  training,  and  leaving  them  to  make  their  own  distribution 
of  weight,  with  their  heads  low,  necks  stretched  out,  and 
croups  high.  What  will  happen  ?  Some  will  not  go  up  to 
the  bridle  and  will  run  badly  ;  others  will  pull  just  enough  to 
run  well ;  and  a  third  variety  will  pull  too  hard,  and  will  run 
away,  notwithstanding  the  strength  of  their  riders'  arms.  What 
does  this  prove,  except  that  they  all  have  not  the  same 
sensitiveness  of  mouth,  as  they  are  all  in  the  same  position  ? 

We  should  note  that  all  horses  in  training  are  bitted  in  the 
same  way,  namely,  with  a  plain  snaffle.  We  therefore  cannot 
blame  the  curb  for  their  different  ways  of  pulling. 

The  experiments  I  have  made  have  thoroughly  cleared  up 

*  This  is  probably  the  reason  why  many  true  followers  of  Baucher  have  made 
their  horses  restive. 


COMMENTARIES  ON  BAUCHER.     335 

this  point,  and  I  have  no  hesitation  in  laying  down  the 
principle  that  the  mouth  of  each  horse  has  its  own  peculiar 
degree  of  sensibility,  no  matter  what  is  the  pace,  work,  or 
distribution  of  weight. 

Thus,  I  owned  and  broke  to  high  school  work  the  thorough- 
breds Redoubt  by  Parmesan,  and  Gant  by  Gantelet,  out  of 
Mile,  de  la  Romanerie,  both  of  which  had  won  races,  I  did 
not  get  them  until  they  were  five  years  old,  and  I  made  them 
remarkably  good  school  horses. 

Redoubt  had  a  very  light  mouth,  and  could  do  the  perfect 
rassembler  almost  without  my  having  to  touch  the  reins. 
Gant  had  a  harder  mouth,  and  required  to  have  the  reins  drawn 
tightly,  in  order  to  do  the  rassembler  to  the  same  extent. 

Riding  them  alternately,  I  went  to  the  training  ground 
behind  Bagatelle,  at  a  walk,  trot,  and  canter,  and  observed, 
during  these  paces,  the  same  difference  of  mouth  which  I  had 
noticed  in  the  manege^  when  doing  the  finest  high  school  work. 

Having  brought  them  on  the  race-course,  with  the  curb 
chain  removed  and  the  curb  reins  knotted  on  the  neck,  1  sent 
them  a  short  preliminary  canter.  Both  of  them  quickly  got 
into  their  racing  position  and  speed.  After  that  I  sent  them 
a  full  speed  gallop  of  about  five  furlongs,  and  they  performed 
in  a  manner  which  would  have  given  no  one  the  impression 
that  they  had  not  galloped  for  eighteen  months  ;  but  each  of 
them  showed  in  the  full  gallop  the  same  difference  of  mouth 
which  they  had  done  in  the  riding  school  and  when  hacking. 

During  the  gallop  on  the  race-course,  Redoubt  pulled  just 
enough  to  run  well ;  but  Gant  took  a  firm  hold  of  the  snaffle, 
pulled  hard,  and  tried  to  run  away,  I  easily  stopped  the 
former  in  a  few  strides,  but  I  succeeded  in  pulling  up  the 
atter  only  at  the  end  of  a  hundred  and  fifty  or  two  hundred 
yards,  and  more  by  the  voice  than  by  the  hands. 

After  the  gallop,  I  walked  them  back  to  the  stable  to  let 
them  catch  their  wind,  and  as  soon  as  I  arrived,  I  made  them 


336  COMMENTARIES   ON    BAUCHER. 

do  their  high  school  work  without  taking  off  their  bridles. 
Here,  also,  I  found  their  respective  mouths  to  be  exactly  the 
same  as  before. 

While  hacking,  these  horses  were  light  in  hand,  without 
being  on  their  haunches.*  On  the  race-course  they  pulled 
just  as  much  as  if  they  had  never  been  taught  high  school 
work ;  and,  having  returned  to  the  school  with  their  hind  legs 
well  under  them,  they  were  as  light  in  hand  as  if  they  had 
never  been  galloped  on  a  race-course. 

We  should  note  that  in  the  experiments  which  I  have 
just  described,  the  respective  weights,  with  these  horses,  were 
distributed  in  three  absolutely  different  ways. 

1.  When  going  to  the  course  it  was  distributed  in  the 
proper  manner  for  hacking,  and  was  the  result  of  an  ordinary 
feeling  on  the  reins. 

2.  During  the  gallop,  the  preponderance  of  weight  was  on 
the  forehand. 

3.  In  the  manege,  on  the  resumption  of  high  school  work, 
the  preponderance  was  on  the  hind  quarters.  Consequently, 
there  were  three  modifications  in  the  distribution  of  weight. 
The  application  of  the  "  aids "  were  also  entirely  different, 
according  to  the  nature  of  the  work.  But  the  essential  point 
on  which  I  differ  from  Baucher  is,  that  a  horse's  mouth 
remains  the  same,  no  matter  what  is  the  work,  use  of  the 
"aids,"  or  distribution  of  weight.  In  the  three  distributions  of 
weight  I  found  the  same  difference  of  mouth. 

I  repeated  this  experiment  with  twenty  thorough-breds 
which  had  been  broken  for  high  school  work,  and  they  all 
brought  me  to  the  same  conclusion :  that  the  nature  of 
the  mouth  does  not  vary  according  to  the  distribution  of 
weight. 

It  is  sometimes  evident  that  a  horse  which  holds  his  head 
low  makes  the  rider  carry  his  head  and  neck  ;  but  if  the  rider 

*  Horizontal  equilibrium  is  the  equilibrium  for  hacking. 


COMMENTARIES    ON    BAUCHER.  337 

changes  the  distribution  of  weight  by  raising  the  head  and 
neck,  they  will  not  bear  so  heavily  on  his  hands. 

Baucher  confused  the  sensitiveness  of  the  mouth  with  the 
lightness  which  results  from  a  change  in  the  position  of  the 
head  and  neck. 

Let  us  now  consider  the  sides  of  a  horse. 

Who  will  believe  that  the  sides  of  a  common,  heavy, 
lymphatic  horse  are  as  sensitive  as  those  of  a  strong,  wiry  and 
free-going  animal  ?  *  It  is  possible  to  make  the  former  do 
almost  the  same  exercises  as  the  latter ;  but  at  what  cost  ? 
We  would  have  to  dig  the  spurs  into  him  to  make  him  move  ; 
but  with  the  free-goer,  the  mere  approach  of  the  heels  would 
be  enough. 

A  ticklish,  impatient  horse  will  never  bear  the  spurs  with 
the  same  docility  as  a  good-tempered,  placid  animal.  In  no 
case  can  we  succeed  in  completely  changing  the  work  of 
nature.  Further,  a  horse  which  is  naturally  ticklish,  becomes 
still  more  so  from  the  continual  contact  of  the  spurs.  It  may 
even  happen  that  a  horse  which  is  not  naturally  ticklish, 
becomes  ticklish  from  the  use  of  the  spurs  during  breaking. 

Also,  a  horse  which  has  bad  loins,  weak  hocks,  or  any  other 
defect,  will  not  be  cured  by  Baucher's  method.  Often  his 
imperfections  will  only  be  increased  by  the  sufferings  which 
he  will  endure,  on  account  of  being  made  to  take  up  certain 
positions,  as  in  ordinary  reining  in,  without  the  pressure  of  the 
legs,-f-  or  in  the  complete  rassembler.  Baucher,  therefore, 
was  far  from  being  right  when  he  asserted  that  his  method 
cured  all  ills. 

As  a  general  rule,  the  weaker  and  more  unsound  a  horse  is, 
the  less  should  be  expected  from  him,  under  pain  of  making 
him  incapable  of  any  kind   of  work.     With  such  an  animal, 

*  We  might  as  well  believe  that  all  men  are  equally  ticklish. 

t  Besides,  I  have  already  said  that  we   should   not  use  the  simple  ramener 
except  with  a  high-spirited  horse  which  goes  freely  up  to  his  bridle. 

22 


338  COMMENTARIES   ON    BAUCHER. 

there  is  no  question  of  fine  equitation,  for  he  cannot  bear  the 
rassembler.  We  should  simply  require  him  to  go  forward, 
and  we  should  feel  happy  if  we  make  him  a  passable  hack. 

Baucher  appears  to  me  to  be  absolutely  wrong  in  stating 
that  we  should  destroy  the  "  instinctive  forces  "  of  the  horse, 
and  act  only  on  the  "  transmitted  forces  "  This  theory  is  so 
strange  and  so  contrary  to  the  nature  of  things,  that  I  cannot 
help  thinking  that  the  expression  used  by  Baucher  incorrectly 
translated  his  thoughts. 

The  *'  instinctive  forces  "  are  apparently  the  natural  forces, 
or  muscular  power.  If  it  is  destroyed,  what  remains  ? 
What  are  the  "  transmitted  forces  "  of  which  Baucher  talks  ? 
Whence  do  they  come  ?  We  can  transmit  an  electric  current 
or  a  moral  effect,  but  to  transmit  a  force  we  must,  first  of  all, 
produce  it,  and  we  know  that  the  rider  should  not  display 
force,  because  he  ought  always  to  remain  supple ;  and  even  if 
he  displayed  force,  it  would  be  insignificant  as  compared  to 
that  of  the  horse. 

What  means  can  the  rider  employ  ?  He  has  only  his  legs 
and  hands.* 

Without  doubt  the  legs  awake  the  vigour  of  the  horse  when 
they  are  well  closed,  but  they  do  not  add  any  force  to 
it.  They  simply  stimulate  him  to  put  forth  the  energy  he 
possesses. 

The  hands  ought  not  to  display  force.  If,  in  an  exceptional 
case,  they  make  an  effort,  its  object  will  only  be  to  thwart  that 
of  the  horse.  They  do  not  transmit  force  to  him,  but  more  or 
less  check  his  force. 

Supposing  that  two  jockeys  are  finishing  almost  together, 
and  that  their  horses  are  equally  exhausted.  If  one  of  them  is 
very  strong,  he  can,  by  displaying  great  energy  of  hands,  legs, 
and  whip,  appear  to  communicate  the  force  of  propulsion  to 

*The  legs  are  "aids"  of  impulsion;  the  hands,  "aids"  of  retention  and 
direction. 


COMMENTARIES    ON    BAUCHER.  339 

his  horse,  and  thus  obtain  two  or  three  powerful  strides,  which 
will  enable  him  to  win.  Such  a  force  has  the  appearance  of 
being  transmitted,  but  in  reality  the  jockey  simply  stimulates 
by  his  vigorous  action,  all  the  remaining  energy  of  the  horse, 
and  makes  him  go  at  his  maximum  speed  for  two  or  three 
■seconds. 

Let  us  take  another  case  of  horses  being  exhausted  when 
returning  from  a  long  hunt,  and  when  going  down  a  steep 
incline,  at  the  bottom  of  which  there  is  a  ditch,  at  which  some 
of  them,  not  being  well  supported  by  their  rider's  legs,  stumble 
or  fall.  One  of  the  riders,  on  the  contrary,  spurs  his  animal 
sharply  and  thus  prevents  him  making  a  mistake,  by  doing 
which  he  appears  to  transmit  force  to  him  at  that  moment. 
In  reality,  he  only  stimulates  the  energy  of  his  horse^  whose 
natural  force  saves  them  both. 

Let  us  take  a  high  school  horse,  when  he  is  at  the  end  of 
his  work  and  has  lost  his  "go,"  as  sometimes  happens.  If 
I  wish  him  to  do  some  energetic  movements,  I  am  obliged  to 
have  recourse  to  the  spurs,  and  I  use  a  certain  amount  of  vigour 
to  make  him  answer  to  their  attacks  ;  but  instead  of  trans- 
mitting force  to  him,  I  merely  awaken  his  energy,  which  he 
puts  into  action. 

To  .sum  up  :  the  rider  does  not  transmit  force  to  his  horse, 
whose  natural  forces  he  directs,  moderates,  or  excites  at  his 
pleasure. 

I  am  inclined  to  think  that  Baucher  simply  wished  to  say 
that  whenever  a  horse  tries  to  take  the  initiative  in  using  his 
own  natural  forces,  the  rider  should  stop  or  direct  them, 
especially  if  the  animal  wants  to  "  play  up,"  as,  for  instance,  by 
plunging,  rearing,  or  spinning  round.  But  w^hen  a  horse  puts 
forth  all  his  energy  to  do  a  good  walk,  a  grand  trot,  or  a  well- 
marked  canter,  I  don't  think  that  we  ought  to  try  to  destroy  it. 
Baucher  neither  destroyed  nor  transmitted  forces  ;  he  directed 
them.     He  obtained  control  of  the  horse's  powers  by  suppling 

22* 


340  COMMENTARIES    ON    BAUCHER. 

exercises,  and  by  rational  training,  and  consequently  he  ruled 
his  horse  by  preventing  him  using  these  forces  in  his  own 
way. 

Finally,  a  horse  can  always  escape  from  strength  by  strength, 
in  which  case  the  rider  will  soon  be  exhausted.  Therefore 
the  rider  ought  always  try  to  prevent  the  horse  knowing  his 
own  strength,  so  that  he  may  hinder  him  from  using  it  against 
himself.  He  can  do  this  by  feeling  and  divining  in  advance 
the  intentions  of  the  animal.  A  rider  who  has  tact  foresees 
the  defences  of  his  mount,  feels  them  coming,  and  -wards 
them  off  before  the  animal  can  make  them. 

Baucher,  after  having  passed  his  life  in  breaking  horses  such 
as  Partisan,  Buridan,  Capitaine,  Stades,  and  others,  complains 
that  his  horses  were  not  always  light  in  hand  during  changes 
of  direction.  The  reason  which  he  gave  was  that,  with  his  way 
of  working,  he  obtained  only  eqiiilibruim  of  the  second  kiJid, 
which  I  call  "  imperfect  eqiiilibriuvi  "  or  "  incomplete  rassem- 
bler."  According  to  him,  "  equilibrium  of  the  first  kind,'' 
which  I  call  "perfect  equilibrium''  or  ''complete  rassembler,"  is 
obtained  by  using  the  hands  without  the  legs,  or  the  legs  with- 
out the  hands.  But  in  this,  Baucher  seriously  deceived  him- 
self, because  the  fact  of  his  finding  "equilibrium  of  the  first 
kind  "  towards  the  end  of  his  career  was  due  to  the  elevation 
of  the  head  and  neck,  which  he  finally  adopted  at  a  time  when 
he  was  no  longer  able  to  ride.  He  was  not  able  to  obtain  the 
complete  rassembler  by  placing  the  head  and  neck  of  his 
horses  in  the  way  he  used  to  do.  The  head  was  too  low,  and 
the  neck  was  bent  in  the  middle.  Therefore  it  frequently  hap- 
pened that  his  horses  were  badly  balanced. 

It  is  simply  absurd  to  say  that  the  "  complete  rassembler  " 
can  be  obtained  by  the  hands  without  the  legs,  or  by  the  legs 
without  the  hands. 

We  read  on  page  82  of  the  fourteenth  and  last  edition  of 
Baucher's  book  that  "  my  method  places  the  horse  so  much 


COMMENTARIES    ON    BAUCHER.  341 

under  the  control  of  his  rider  that,  by  the  combination  of  the 
effects  of  the  legs  and  hands,  our  slightest  movements  suffice 
to  direct  the  energy  of  this  powerful  animal,  according  to  our 
will."  Nothing  could  be  truer.  But  why  does  he  maintain  on 
page  178  of  the  same  edition,  that  the  only  true  kind  of  riding 
should  be  done  by  "  legs  without  hands,  and  hands  without 
legs  "  ?  How  did  he  not  see  that  these  two  assertions  are  con- 
tradictory ?  The  office  of  the  legs  of  the  rider  is  to  make  the 
horse  energetic  in  his  hind  quarters,  and  that  of  the  hands,  to 
make  him  "amiable  in  his  mouth."  Without  the  simulta- 
neous co-operation  of  these  two  "  aids,"  we  may  do  wonderful 
tricks,  but  not  good  horsemanship. 

The  fact  that  Baucher  broke  his  horses  with  the  two  "  aids," 
and  afterwards  used  only  one  of  them,  proves  that  he  deceived 
himself  by  thinking  that  he  had  obtained  perfect  equilibrium 
with  "  legs  w^ithout  hands  and  hands  without  legs."  But  as 
the  legs  are  necessary  for  impulsion  and  the  hands  for  direc- 
tion, he  hastened  to  go  back  to  the  two  "  aids." 

Under  these  conditions,  why  did  he  abandon  an  "aid"  which 
he  was  obliged  to  use  every  moment  ?  Is  the  proof  required  ? 
When  working  on  "  two  tracks  "  without  the  legs,  there  will  be 
nothing  to  indicate  to  the  horse  that  his  haunches  should  move, 
especially  if  we  want  him  to  do  the  "two  tracks"  at  the  canter 
or  passage.  If  we  demand  the  Spanish  trot  without  legs,  the 
horse  will  raise  his  fore  legs  a  little  without  gaining  ground, 
but  nothing  will  give  him  the  impulsion  necessary  for  the  trot. 
Change  the  "  aids,"  and  demand  the  same  work  without  using 
the  hands.  The  action  of  the  legs  to  obtain  the  elevation  and 
extension  of  the  fore  legs  will  have  the  result  of  sending  the 
horse  abruptly  forvv^ard,  because  there  is  nothing  to  restrain 
him  and  to  raise  the  fore  hand.  It  will  be  the  same  in  all 
other  movements. 

I  admit,  however,  that  when  the  education  of  the  school 
horse  has  been  carried  to  its  highest  degree  of  perfection,  he 


342  COMMENTARIES    ON    BAUCHER. 

will  do,  so  to  speak,  all  the  movements  without  the  help  of  the 
"  aids,  "  it  being  sufficient  to  indicate  to  him  what  he  has  got 
to  do,  by  the  slightest  approach  of  the  leg,  with  the  reins  slack 
on  his  neck.  In  fact,  this  is  a  question  of  nuances  (minute  dif- 
ferences) :  but  all  art  is  made  up  of  miances. 

Be  that  as  it  may ;  but  since  Baucher  acknowledges  that  he 
could  get  only  the  "equilibrium  of  the  second  kind"  (incomplete 
rassenihler),  I  am  justified  in  thinking  that  my  school  horses 
are  superior  to  his ;  because,  for  the  last  ten  years,  I  have  ob- 
tained "equilibrium  of  the  first  kind  "  (complete  rasseniblev).  I 
hasten  to  add  that,  thanks  to  Baucher,  I  succeeded  in  finding 
this  rassembler,  which  is  possible  only  when  the  head  and  neck 
are  kept  very  high.  Also,  when  I  say  that  my  school  horses 
are  superior  to  those  of  the  illustrious  master,  I  do  not  pretend 
that  they  were  more  precise  in  their  movements  than  his,  which 
were  perfectly  correct.  I  wish  simply  to  say  that  I  obtained 
the  same  school  movements  in  as  good  form  as  my  learned  pre- 
decessor, but  with  greater  elevation  of  head,  neck,  and  limbs  ; 
that  is  to  say,  with  more  complete  equilibrium,  which  conse- 
quently required  less  effort,  and  above  all  things  with  more 
impulsion. 

In  his  books  on  equitation,  Baucher  said  little  about  riding 
in  the  open.     This  was  an  evident  omission. 

The  fact  is  that  Baucher  never  rode  outside.  Without 
being  his  pupil,  I  followed  and  studied  him  during  his  journeys 
to  i\ustria,  Italy,  Switzerland,  etc.,  from  1847  to  1850,  But 
during  these  three  years  I  never  saw  him  go  out  on  horseback. 
It  has  been  very  incorrectly  stated  that  his  seat  in  the  saddle 
was  weak,  and  for  this  reason  he  was  afraid  to  ride  hacking  or 
hunting.  I  admit  that  he  was  not  such  a  fine  rough  rider,  and 
had  not  such  a  strong  seat  as  the  Count  d'Aure,  but  that  does 
not  prove  he  was  afraid  to  ride  outside.  The  fact  that  he 
broke  many  horses  proves  that  he  had  a  strong  seat ;  because 
there  are  always  more  or  less  violent  struggles  during  break- 


COMMENTARIES   ON    BAUCHER.  343 

ing.  We  must  therefore  seek  elsewhere  for  the  reason  which 
prevented  Baucher  from  riding  in  the  open. 

Bauclier  being  a  reformer  and  consequently  a  seeker,  had 
no  pleasure  in  leaving  a  horse  to  himself,  as  is  done  when 
hacking.  He  devoted  all  his  life  to  his  work  in  order  to  show 
us  the  way,  which  was  the  only  thing  that  interested  him, 
Riding  without  working  was  only  a  weariness  to  him.  There- 
fore he  never  studied  the  character  or  manner  of  riding 
a  hack  or  hunter ;  or  the  enormous  difference  between  a 
"  closed-in  "  school  horse  and  an  ordinary  saddle  horse,  which 
is  left  a  good  deal  to  himself. 

As  he  did  not  ride  outside,  he  never  rode  his  horses  at 
fast  paces,  which  was  wrong  ;  because  a  horse  passes  very 
easily  from  an  extended  position  to  the  rasseuibler.  Full 
speed,  provided  that  it  is  not  too  prolonged,  has  the  advan- 
tage of  allowing  the  animal  to  extend  himself,  and  conse- 
quently to  obtain  rest,  by  changing  his  equilibrium,  while  at 
the  same  time  it  develops  and  strengthens  his  lungs. 

The  chief  fault  of  Baucher  was  that  of  keeping  his  horse 
constantly  "enclosed."  I  think  we  ought  to  observe  the 
principle  of  letting  the  horse  extend  himself  after  each  con- 
cession, during  breaking.  Finally,  I  maintain  that  as  a 
general  rule  during  breaking,  we  should  accustom  our  mount 
to  extend  himself  from  time  to  time  at  the  walk,  trot  and 
canter.  Every  form  of  equilibrium  and  position  ends  by 
fatiguing  the  horse.  If  we  change  one  of  them,  the  horse  will 
return  to  it  with  pleasure. 

As  a  last  observation  I  may  remark  that  on  page  103  of  the 
fourteenth  edition  of  his  book,  Baucher  repeats  a  conversation 
which  he  had  at  Berlin  with  some  German  officers  who  were 
supposed  to  know  something  about  horses.  They  said  :  "  We 
like  to  have  our  horses  in  front  of  the  hand."  Baucher 
replied :  "  I  like  mine  to  be  behind  the  hand,  and  in  front  of 
the  legs." 


344  COMMENTARIES   ON    BAUCHER. 

Personally,  I  share  neither  the  opinion  of  the  German 
officers  nor  that  of  Baucher.  The  horse  ought  to  be  in  front  of 
the  legs  and  lightly  on  the  hand.  It  is  always  a  question  of 
nuances ;  at  least,  when  army  horses  have  not  been  con- 
sidered, because  with  them  there  is  something  quite  different 
from  a  nuance,  and  in  this  case  I  differ  entirely  from  Baucher. 
I  even  dare  to  say  that  the  single  fact  of  his  stating  that 
horses  should  be  behind  the  hand,  ought  to  be  sufficient  to 
exclude  his  method  from  the  army.  Such  an  opinion  put  into 
practice  would  only  make  the  horse  hesitating  ;  because  the 
hand  directs  him.  The  horse  always  hesitates  when  he  does 
not  feel  the  hand.  But  if  he  is  behind  the  hand  he  does  not 
feel  the  reins.  The  army  horse  ought  always  to  go  freely  up 
to  his  bridle  {on  the  hand). 

These  are  the  principal  points  of  Baucher's  method  with 
which  I  disagree.  Nevertheless,  I  have  a  sincere  admiration 
for  him. 

Baucher  was  a  creator,  and  every  one  who  rides  ought  to 
respect  him  as  a  master.  He  had  the  great  merit  of  not 
describing  anything  which  he  could  not  do.  Many  who  have 
come  after  him  have  written  at  great  length  on  riding,  and 
often  with  the  object  of  describing  magnificent  movements 
which  they  have  never  done.  Baucher  proved  the  superiority 
of  his  theory  by  putting  it  into  practice. 


345 


CHAPTER   X. 

TESTS   OF   HORSEMANSHIP. 

To  be  an  accomplished  rider,  or  at  least  to  be  a  fair  per- 
former in  the  saddle,  a  man  should  be  able  to  pass  the  follow- 
ing tests  : — 

1.  To  ride  a  difficult  horse. 

2.  To  ride  in  a  steeplechase. 

3.  To  ride  a  trotting  match. 

4.  To  ride  a  flat  race. 

5.  To  be  able  to  break  and  ride  a  school  horse. 

Riding  a  difficult  horse,  when  it  is  only  a  question  of 
remaining  on  his  back,  is  simply  an  affair  of  strength  of  seat 
and  pluck.  It  is  sufficient  to  be  a  good  rider  and  a  bit  of  a 
dare-devil.  But  we  require  a  knowledge  of  reasoned-out 
equitation  to  anticipate  and  thwart  his  defences. 

I  place  steeplechase  riding  in  the  second  rank,  although  it 
requires  great  strength  of  seat  and  pluck.  A  cross-country 
jockey  has  to  be  a  good  rider,  rather  than  a  good  horseman  ; 
but  steeplechase  riding  requires  less  delicacy  of  handling  and 
tact  than  the  following  tests. 

I  think  match  trotting  comes  in  the  third  rank  as  regards 
judgment  and  knowledge.  It  is  evident  that  if  the  rider  of  a 
trotter  cannot  accurately  tell  when  his  horse  is  at  the  top  of 
his  speed,  he  will  continue  to  push  him,  and  will  make  him 
break  into  the  gallop.     But  judgment  of  pace  is  much  more 


346  TESTS   OF   HORSEMANSHIP. 

easy  in  trotting  than  in  flat-race  riding,  to  succeed  in  which  a 
jockey  should  know  what  is  the  highest  speed  of  his  horse, 
should  always  keep  near  it,  and  should  demand  it  only  at  the 
critical  moment. 

I  put  flat-race  riding  in  the  fourth  rank,  considering  that  it 
is  truly  an  art  which  only  such  men  as  F.  Archer,  Watts, 
Cannon,  Webb  and  others  can  acquire.  A  flat-race  jockey 
has  to  be  an  exceedingly  good  judge  of  pace,  and  if  he  does 
not  know  what  speed  his  animal  can  maintain  without  becom- 
ing exhausted,  he  will  never  make  a  name  for  himself.  When 
we  think  that  the  highest  speed  of  a  racehorse  is  about  five 
furlongs  in  a  minute,  we  will  understand  how  difficult  it  is  tO' 
judge  pace  within  a  second  or  two. 

If  it  is  simply  a  matter  of  one  following  the  other,  the  first 
comer  can  do  it.  The  difficulty  is  to  set  and  maintain  the 
pace  which  suits  the  horse  best,  and  if  the  jockey  cannot  place 
him  as  he  likes,  without  fighting  with  him,  he  will  do  no 
good. 

If  the  jockey  takes  too  strong  a  bearing  on  the  reins,  the 
horse  will  exhaust  himself  by  the  efforts  he  makes  against  the 
hands,  in  which  case  his  mouth  suffers  much  less  than  his  loins 
and  hocks,  the  result  being  that  the  animal  will  not  be  able  to^ 
finish  in  good  style.  If,  on  the  contrary,  the  jockey  does  not 
keep  a  proper  hold  of  his  horse's  head,  the  animal  will  go  too- 
fast,  and  will  be  unable  to  struggle  at  the  critical  moment. 
The  jockey  should  therefore  have  sufficient  sense  not  to  fall 
into  either  of  these  extremes. 

Breaking  a  school  horse  comes  under  the  last  term.  To 
succeed  at  it,  a  man  should  possess  knowledge,  delicacy  of 
touch  and  tact  to  a  supreme  degree,  and  should  have  an  exact 
acquaintance  with  the  capabilities  of  a  horse,  so  that  he  may 
break  him  without  making  him  unsound. 

In  the  breaking  of  a  school  horse,  we  require  not  only  a 
perfect  knowledge  of  the  effects  of  the  hands  and  legs,  but  we 


TESTS   OF   HORSEMANSHIP.  347 

should  also,  by  our  seat,  be  able  to  feel  the  slightest  move- 
ments of  the  hind  quarters,  for  we  learn  by  our  seat  what 
passes  under  us.  Consequently,  we  can  check  the  slightest 
fault,  and  immediately  reward  the  faintest  sign  of  good  will. 
This  is  the  entire  secret  of  breaking. 

Further,  the  riding  master  who  breaks  a  school  horse,  acts 
alone,  and  depends  only  on  himself  Every  fault  committed 
and  every  good  movement  done  are  his  work.  This  is  true, 
only  in  the  school. 

The  racehorse,  to  mention  his  case  only,  passes  through 
many  hands,  such  as  those  of  trainers,  riding  lads,  and  jockeys, 
and  if  the  animal  commits  a  fault  with  any  of  them,  the  man 
can  put  it  down  to  his  next-door  neighbour.  Only  the  school 
horse  is  the  exclusive  work  of  the  person  who  broke  him. 
Count  d'Aure  replied  one  day  to  a  criticism  of  Baucher 
that,  "  I  am  not  a  horse  breaker."  Then,  what  did  he  break  ? 
Did  the  word  breaker  jar  on  his  ears  ?  For  my  part,  I  know 
no  other.  Of  course  we  should  not  regard  in  the  same  light 
the  horseman  who  breaks  a  horse  in  good  style,  as  the  groom 
who  takes  the  rough  edge  off  him,  and  I  venture  to  say  that 
no  one  can  be  a  real  horseman,  if  he  cannot  break-in  a  horse. 
Breaking  is  the  horseman's  touchstone.  The  broken  horse  is 
the  proof  of  the  breaker. 


348 


CHAPTER   XL 

WITH    BELGIAN    OFFICERS. 

I  WAS  giving  performances  at  Brussels,  when  Count 
d'Oultremont  asked  me  to  give  an  exhibition  with  my  horses 
at  the  Royal  Circle  of  which  he  was  president. 

He  expressed  the  desire  that  this  performance  would  be 
accompanied  by  explanatory  remarks,  "  Your  '  aids '  are  so 
delicate,"  he  said  to  me,  "  that  we  do  not  always  see  the 
precise  means  you  arrive  at  a  result  which  we  witness.  We 
wish  to  know  how  you  obtain  so  much  with  such  a  small 
effort.     Give  us  explanations." 

The  exhibition  took  place  one  afternoon  in  the  month  of 
December,  1890.  All  the  superior  officers  who  were  members 
■of  the  Circle  were  present.  I  worked  my  horses,  but  not  as  in 
a  public  show.  Sometimes  placing  my  mount  in  a  good 
position  to  obtain  the  desired  result  under  correct  conditions  ; 
sometimes  placing  him  in  a  bad  position,  in  order  to  show  its 
fallacy  by  making  a  mistake  ;  I  accompanied  each  part  of  the 
work  by  explanations,  which  were  practically  confirmed  on  the 
spot. 

After  the  performance,  the  officers  of  the  second  regiment 
of  Guides  asked  me,  through  Commandant  Five,  to  be  good 
enough  to  make  out  a  course  of  instruction  for  their  use.  I 
accepted  with  great  pleasure,  and  the  riding  school  of  the 
2nd  Guides  was  placed  at  my  disposal  every  day  from  ten 


WITH    BELGIAN    OFFICERS.  349 

o'clock  to  half-past  twelve.       The  course  consisted  of  thirty 
lessons.* 

The  following  was  the  programme  which  I  laid  down,  and 
which  was  carried  out  consecutively  : — 

2ND  Regiment  of  Guides 
of  H.  M.  the  King  of  the  Belgians. 

PROGRAMME  OF  HORSE-BREAKING, 

done  under  the  direction  of 

Mr.  James  Fillis. 

1st  lesson. 

Lunging    the    horse    for    some  days,  to    the    right    and    to 
the  left,  to  make  him  obedient. 

1.  Putting  him  in  hand.      Flexion  of  the  jaw,  standing  still, 

and  then  in  movement.  (The  right  hand  holding  both 
reins  of  the*  bridle  at  two  inches  from  the  bit,  and  high, 
in  order  to  raise  the  neck.  The  left  snaffle  rein  in  the 
left  hand,  which  is  carried  forward  in  opposition  to  the 
right  hand.) 
Pat  the  horse  on  the  neck  and  begin  again  as  soon  as  he 
yields.^, 

2.  Make  the  horse  yield  to  the  right  leg  and  to  the  left  leg. 

2ND   LESSON. 

1.  Flexions    of  the   jaw,    the    man    being   on    foot;    same 

flexions  when  mounted. 

2.  Short  trot  :  {a)  On  the  left  diagonal  biped. 

„        „        {b)  On  the  right  diagonal  biped. 
Rising  in  the  stirrups  at  the  trot. 
•  3.  Shoulder-in  :  To  the  right  hand,  and  to  the  left  hand. 
4.  Reversed  volte. 

*  It  was  the  same  with  the  ist  Regiment  of  Guides,  who  placed  their  manege  at 
my  disposal  every  day  from  nine  till  half-past  ten. 


350  WITH   BELGIAN   OFFICERS. 


3RD   LESSON. 

1.  Repetition  of  the  2nd  lesson. 

2.  Change  of  the  diagonal  hand,  to  two-thirds  of  the  change 

of  hand, ;    making  the  horse  yield  to  the  leg  on  two 
tracks  (to  both  hands). 

3.  Shoulder-in  :  Repeat  this  movement  to  both  hands. 

4TH   LESSON, 

1.  Repetition  of  the  3rd  lesson. 

2.  Short  trot,  and  change  of  hand  on  the  diagonal. 

3.  Canter  to  the  right  and  to  the  left. 

4.  Getting  the  horse  into  hand. 

5TH  LESSON. 

1.  Repetition  of  the  4th  lesson. 

2.  Canter  on  the  diagonal. 

3.  Circling. 

4.  Change  of  hand  by  passing  into  the  trot. 

5.  Collecting  the  horse. 

6th  LESSON. 

1.  Lateral  flexion  of  the  head  on  the  neck  (the  reins  held  as 

in  the  flexion  of  the  jaw). 

2.  Canter  on  the  diagonal. 

3.  Circling  and  changing  the  hand. 

4.  Shoulder-in. 

5.  Canter  on  a  straight  line  and  change  of  hand. 

6.  Collecting  the  horse. 

7TH    &   8X11    LESSONS. 

1.  Collected  trot. 

2.  Direct  and  lateral  flexions  on  foot. 


WITH    BELGIAN    OFFICERS.  35 1 

Repeat  the  flexions  while  moving. 
Short  trot.     Collecting  the  horse. 
Canter  on  the  inward  and  outward  leg. 
Shoulder-in. 
Shoulder  to  the  wall. 
Rasseuibler  while  mo\-ing. 


9TH   LESSON. 

J.  Repetition  of  the  7th  lesson. 

2.  Cadence  of  the  trot,  and  continued  rasseuibler. 

3.  Increase  the  collection. 

lOTH   LESSON. 

1.  The  same  order  of  work.    ' 

2.  Rassemblc'd  trot,  and  movements  on  two  tracks. 

3.  Half  a  turn  on  the  haunches. 

IITH    LESSON. 

1,  Repetition  of  the  preceding  lesson. 

2.  Canter  on  the  inward  and  outward  leg  in  a  straight  line 

I2TH,    13TH,    &    I4TH   LESSONS. 
J,  Repetition  of  the  nth  lesson. 

15TH  LESSON. 

1.  Repetition  of  the  preceding  work. 

2.  Increase  of  the  rassevibkr  and  of  collection. 

3.  Shoulder-in  on  the  circle. 

4.  Shoulder-out  on  the  circle. 

5.  Starting  into  the  canter  from  the  halt. 

i6th  LESSON. 

1,  Short  trot.     Collecting  the  horse. 

2.  Flexion  with  the  curb,  on  foot. 


352  WITH    BELGIAN    OFFICERS. 

3.  School  walk  :  Shoulder-in. 

„  „  Shoulder-out.       Change  of  hand   on    two 

tracks. 

4.  The  same  movements  on  the  circle. 

5.  Canter  on  the  inward  and  outward  leg. 

6.  Changes  of  hand  by  passing  to  the  trot. 

7.  A  higher  degree  of  collection. 

I7TH   LESSON. 

1.  Same  succession  of  work. 

2.  Increased  collection. 

3.  Half  turn  on  the  haunches. 

I  8th  lesson. 
Repetition  of  the  preceding  lesson. 

19TH  lesson. 

1.  Collecting  the  horse  at  the  trot 

2.  Flexions  with  the  curb  on  foot. 

3.  Shoulder-in  and  shoulder-out  at  the  school  trot. 

4.  Half  turn  on  the  shoulders. 

5.  Canter  on  the  inward  and  outward  leg. 

6.  Change  of  hand  at  the  canter,  by  arriving  at  the  opposite 

track,   at  the  walk,  and  starting  at  the  canter  by  the 
position  of  the  head  (to  each  hand). 

7.  On  a  straight  line  :    canter  to  the  right :  a  few  strides — 

at  the  walk — canter  to  the  left — repeat  several  times 
the  same  movement. 

8.  On  the  circle  :  Shoulder  in — shoulder-out. 

9.  At  the  canter  :  Shoulder-in.     (Never  shoulder-out  at  the 

canter,  so  as  not  to  accustom  the  horse  to  go  sideways.)- 

10.  At  the  walk  :  getting  the  horse  completely  in  hand. 


WITH    BELGIAN    OFFICERS.  353 


20TH   LESSON. 

1.  Trot  with  the  horse  in  hand. 

2.  Flexion  with  the  curb  on  foot. 

3.  School  walk  :  shoulder-in. 

shoulder-out.       Change   of  hand   on   two 
tracks. 

4.  Same  movements  on  the  circle. 

5.  Canter  on  the  inward  and  outward  leg.     Change  of  hand 

by  passing  to  the  trot. 

6.  Getting  the  horse  completely  in  hand. 

21ST   LESSON. 

1.  Flexions  with  the  curb  (by  going  with  the  head  high). 

2.  Rassenihler — school  trot — shoulder-in— shoulder-out. 

3.  Halting— Reining    back— Forward.     (Repeat   the    same 

movement  several  times). 

4.  School  walk  :  demi-volte  and  shoulder-in  by  finishing  the 

demi-volte  (to  both  hands). 

5.  Canter  on  a  straight  line  with  both  fore  legs  alternately 

leading. 
Change  of  hand  at  the  canter  by  passing  into  the  walk  and 
changing  the  leg. 

6.  Demi-volte  at  the  canter  ;    change  of  leg  at  the  track. 

7.  Shoulder-in,  a  canter,  to  both  hands. 

8.  Circling  at  the  canter  on  the  inward  and  outward  leg. 

9.  Collecting  the  horse  completely  at  the  walk. 

22ND   LESSON. 

1.  Repetition  of  the  preceding  lesson. 

2.  Canter  down  the  centre. 

Reversed   volte,  straightening  the  horse  on  the  same  leg, 
change  of  leg. 

23 


354  WITH    BELGIAN    OFFICERS. 

3.  Ordinary  volte  with  shoulder  in,  same  movement  to  the 

other  hand. 

4.  Walk. 

5.  Canter  to  the  right,  canter  to  the  left,  three  strides  on 

each  leg. 

6.  Collecting  the  horse. 

7.  Preparation  for  the  passage. 

23RD  LESSON. 

1.  Repetition  of  the  preceding  lesson. 

2.  Getting  the  horse  more  completely  in  hand  than  before, 

to  finish. 

3.  Preparation  for  the  passage. 

24TH  LESSON. 

1.  Repetition  of  the  22nd  lesson. 

2.  Each  day  more  complete  rassenibler  than   before,  so  as 

to  obtain  the  passage. 

25TH    LESSON. 

1.  Repetition  of  the  22nd  lesson. 

2.  Getting  the  horse  more  completely  in  hand  than  before, 

to  finish. 

26TH,    27TH,    28TH,    29TH,   AND    30TH    LESSONS. 

1.  Repetition    of  the    22nd    lesson.     Getting  the  horse  in 

hand  inore  and  more  completely. 

2.  A  few  strides  of  the  passage,  pat  the  horse  on  the  neck, 

begin  again. 

F.  DE  Hase,  Commandant  Adjutant-Major. 
Brussels,  5th  January,  1891. 

The  results  were   excellent,  as  the  following   letter  shows, 
and  I  most  cordially  thank  the  gentlemen  who  signed  it : — 


WITH    BELGIAN    OFFICERS.  355 

"  Dear  Mr.  Fillis, — 

"  At  the  moment  when  you  are  going  to  bring  out  a 
new  edition  of  your  '  Breaking  and  Riding,'  we  are  anxious 
to  express  our  admiration  of  the  excellent  principles  you  have 
taught  us. 

"  You  have  shown  us,  in  breaking,  how  to  combine  reasoned- 
out  energy  with  victorious  patience. 

"  No  more  excitement !  No  intemperate  punishment,  which 
is  prejudicial  to  success. 

"  Also,  thanks  to  your  method  and  your  instruction,  we 
have  succeeded  in  thirty  lessons  to  break  horses  of  entirely 
different  tempers  without  injuring  them,  and  we  fully  recog- 
nise that  the  principles  we  previously  employed  did  not  give 
us  such  rapid  and  satisfactory  results. 

"  We  are  anxious,  dear  Mr.  Fillis,  to  add  our  tribute  to  the 
numerous  testimonies  of  admiration  which  you  have  received 
everywhere,  and  we  beg  you  to  accept  the  expression  of  our 
distinguished  regards. 

"  F.  DE  Hase,  Commandant  Adjutant-Major. 

"Lambert,  Captain  Commandant. 

"  Five,  Commandant. 

"Cec.  Herg,  Lieutenant. 

"  DE  FormanoI,  Captain. 

"P.  Biourge,  1st  Lieutenant. 

"  Le  Grand,  Lieutenant. 

"  G.  Jeidelo,  Lieutenant. 

"  M.  Leclerq,  Captain. 

"  F.  DOCQ,  Lieutenant. 

"  COMTE  Jean  de  Merod,  ist  Lieutenant. 

"  M.  d'Hespel,  ist  Lieutenant. 

"  R.  Pycke,  1st  Lieutenant. 

"  Vanloquere,  1st  Lieutenant. 

"  BlA,  Captain." 


356  WITH    BELGIAN   OFFICERS. 

I  ought  to  mention  that  in  Belgium  no  one  ever  thought  of 
blaming  me  for  riding  in  a  circus,  which  is  considered  in  that 
country  to  be  the  only  place  for  equestrian  work,  and  that  it 
is  as  natural  for  a  horseman  to  ride  in  a  circus,  as  for  a  lyric 
artist  to  show  himself  at  the  opera,  or  for  an  Academician  to 
dress  himself  in  green,  in  order  to  croak  out  an  address  under 
the  cupola  of  the  Institute.  I  ought  also  to  mention  that  at 
Brussels  I  did  not  meet  any  military  distrust  of  civilians. 
The  people  only  required  a  riding  master  to  thoroughly 
know  what  he  taught.  Cavalry  officers  are  obliged  to  learn 
not  only  riding,  but  also  an  infinite  number  of  other  things 
which  make  it  very  difficult  for  them  to  afford  time  to  study 
equestrian  science  to  its  utmost  limits.  Hence  the  necessity 
for  specialising,  as  well  for  the  instruction  of  the  military  rider 
as  for  others.  I  believe  I  faithfully  convey  the  opinions,  on 
these  matters,  of  the  Belgian  cavalry  officers  whom  I  had  the 
honour  of  meeting. 


INDEX 


"  Aids,"  19. 

America,  25. 

Amour,  251. 

Andrews,  H.,  203. 

Arab  horses,  158. 

Archer,  Fred,  208,  346. 

Archiduc,  206. 

Army  horse,  the,  213-235. 

Baron  Finot,  202. 

,,        de  Vaux,  171. 
Baucher,  43,  44,  56,  58,  62,  63,  64,  65, 

82,  105,  106,  no,  126,  156,  171,  261, 

306,  319,  332-344- 
Baudres,  204. 
Beginners,  23. 
Belgian  officers,  348-356. 
Bit,  getting  behind  the,  117. 
Bitting,  10. 
Bucking,  78. 
Buridan,  340. 

Cannon,  346. 

Canter  on  three  legs,  302-305. 

„      ,  the,  153-163,  180. 

,,       to  the  rear,  314,  325, 

,,       when  rassemdW d,  261. 

,,       without    gaining   ground,    314, 

325- 
Cantering,  "false,"  168. 
Capitaine,  340. 
Caron,  Francois,  332. 
Carrots,  6,  70. 
Castillon,  178. 
Changes  of  direction,  87,  166. 

„  leg,  166-172,  270-275. 


Chevalier  d'  Abzac,  332. 
Clocher,   178. 
Close  work,  40. 
Collecting  a  horse,  44,  123. 
Count  d'Aure,  332,  342,  347. 

,,     von  Schweppe,  332. 
Counter-demi-volte,  92. 
"  Cracking  Nuts,"  126. 
Crimea,  the,  214. 
Curb,  10,  150,  198. 

,,      chain,  13. 

"Daisy  cutting,"  52,  173,  179. 
Defences,  82,  281. 
DeDii-voUes,  91,  163. 
Diagonal  effects,  109. 
Direction,  changes  of,  87,  166. 
Doiibler,  90. 
Dozule,  151. 

England,  25. 
English  stiffness,  22. 
Equestrian  tact,  129,  130. 
Equilibrium,  336,  340,  342. 

Face,  expression  of,  6. 
Feeding,  4,  226,  227. 
Fishing  rod,  53. 
Flat  racing,  206-209. 
Flexions,  direct,  44. 
,,      ,  lateral.  96. 
Fra  Diavolo,  206. 
Franconi,  Victor,  332. 

Gallop,  180. 
Gant,  319,  320,  335. 


358 


INDEX. 


Gantelet,  17S. 

Gaulois,  Si. 

German  stiffness,  22. 

Germans,  22.  235. 

Germinal,   252,    261.    276,    305.    320. 

321,  326. 
Girthing  up,  69. 
"  Give  and  take,'"  125. 

Hack,  the.  i  72-1  S3. 

Half-rear,  79. 

Halt,  S5. 

Hand,  behind  the,  343. 

,,    ,  getting  horse  in,  125. 

,,    ,  in  front  of  the,  343. 

,,    ,  on  the,  126. 
"  Hands,""  4S. 
Hatchet,  203. 

Head  about,  throwing  the,  iSS. 
Hea\y  in  front,  53. 
Heels,  2. 

High-school  riding,  236-331. 
Horse,  cold,  176. 

,,    ,  hot,  176,  iSi. 

.,    ,  intelligence  of  the,  5. 

,,    ,  sluggish,  175. 

„    ,  the,  I. 

„    ,  the  Armj",  213-235. 
Horsemanship,  tests  of,  345. 

,,  ,  high-school,  221. 

Horses,  impetuous,  S,  175. 
,,     ,  nervous,  184. 
,,       with  vices,  1S4-194. 
sides,  337. 
Hiunming  a  tune,  29S. 
Hunter,  English,  211. 

,,     ,  the,  210-212. 
Hurdle  racing,  202. 

Imincbilite,  81. 
Impetuous  horses,  S,  175. 
Intelligence  of  the  horse.  5. 

Jockeys,  202,  207-209,  33S. 
Jumping,  195-205. 


La  Giiennirc,  2SS,  332. 
Ladies,  3,  163. 
Lady,  putting  up  a,  29. 
Lady's  dress,  27. 

,,      school  horse,  326. 
Latuade,  79. 
Lateral  effects,  loS. 
Lenoble  du  Theil,  177. 
Little  Duck,  207. 
Louis  d'Or,  207.  • 

Lunging  a  horse,  32. 

"  Making  Mixh  of  a  Horse,"  8. 

Man,  I. 

Mares,  3. 

Markir,  177,  252,  276,  2S2,  2S7. 

Marquis  de  Eigne,  332. 

Martingale,  13. 

Memory,  horses",  114. 

Mount,  making  quiet  to,  66. 

Mounting,  66. 

Mouth,  49,  50,  334-336- 

,,     ,  hard  and  soft  side  of,  78. 

Negro,  296. 

Xer^-ous  horses,  1 84. 

New  school  movements,  322. 

„       „    ,  the,  300,  301. 
Newcastle,  332. 
Normand}-  horses,  217,  220. 
"  Nuts,  cracking,'"  126. 

Paradox,  20S. 
Parmesan,  178. 
Partisan,  340. 
Pascal,  151. 
Passage,  275-301. 
Passage  to  the  rear,  305. 
Pats  on  the  neck,  8. 
Piaffer,  275-301. 

,,      ,  see-saw,  306. 
Pignatelli,  332. 
Pirouettes,  117,  246,  262. 

,,  with  the  feet  crossed,  246. 

,,       ,  reversed,     iii,     117,    245, 
246. 


INDEX. 


359 


Pirouettes,  reversed,  on  three  legs,  245. 

Pivot,  making  horse,  no. 

"  Playing  up,"  82,  281. 

Plunging,  42. 

Fointe,  79. 

Pudeldressiruiig,  298. 

Pulling,  334-336. 

Punishment,  9,  1 1 2. 

Racing,  flat,  206-209. 

Kainener,  124,  125. 

Rassembler,  124,  127,  129,  130-132. 

Rearing,  42,  79,  80. 

Redoubt,  335. 

Rein  back,  119,  247. 

Reining  back  without  reins,  247. 

Reins,  how  to  hold  the,  72. 

Remounts,  215-233. 

Reward,  9,  112. 

Riding,  high  school,  236-331. 

,,        a  horse  first  time,  78. 

,,     ,  ordinary  riding,  32-183. 
Rocking  the  forehand,  248. 

,,         ,,    haunches,  249. 
Rotation  of  croup  and  shoulders,  108. 
"  Routined,''  251. 
Run-aways,  189-194. 
Running  back,  43. 

Saddles,  15,  28. 

School  riding,  high,  236-331. 

,,      walk,  118. 
Seat,  lady's,  24. 
,,    ,  man's,  18. 
See-saw  piaffer,  306, 
Serpentine,  302,  325. 


Shoulder-in,  135-140,  260. 

Shying,  187. 

Side-steps,  133. 

Snaffle,  10,  198. 

Spanish  trot,  251-260,  301,  325. 

,,        walk,  237. 

,,  ,,    ,  new,  322. 

Spurs,  iS,  113,  115,288,  296. 
Stades,  306,  340. 
Standing  still,  85. 
Steeplechasing,  202. 
Stirrups,  15. 

,,      ,  length  of,  21. 
Swimming  horses,  230. 

"Take  and  Give,"  125. 
Thorough -breds,    i,   2,    177-179,   183, 

217-219,  222. 
Tongue  over  bit,  49. 
Trot,  the,  140-153. 
Trotters,  150,  217. 
"  Two  tracks,"  133-140. 

Vermouth,  178. 
Vices,  horses  with,  184-194. 
Voltes,  90,  118,  163. 
,,     ,  reversed,  118. 

Walk,  85. 

,,     ,  school,  118. 
Watts,  207,  346. 
Webb,  346. 
Whip,  18,  76,  113,  298,  300. 

,,     ,  teaching  by  the,  76. 

ZuT,  178. 


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